


The Fifth Alignment

by DreAmCatcherWrites



Category: The Tenth Line
Genre: Acceptance, Adventure, Anthropomorphic, Dragons, Fantasy, Friendship, Gen, Magic, Male Friendship, Original Character(s), Platonic Relationships, Self-Acceptance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:08:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 73,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27974180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreAmCatcherWrites/pseuds/DreAmCatcherWrites
Summary: "All it takes is one person to change your perception of the world forever."An unlikely pair finds themselves on a unexpected journey. Through trials and tribulations, they find not only adventure, but a deeper connection neither of which foresaw. Together, they travel on to find their place in this world.
Kudos: 1





	1. Shireville

#  Chapter One - Shireville

A brisk wind blew past as the cold rain pattered down on the dirt; the moon’s glow the only source of light on this cold and wet night. A blue-scaled dracon continued on his path, unhindered by the sky’s attempts to slow him down. The walk from the Scholar’s Society had been pleasant until the clouds took that away. The natural frost magic that coursed through him granted obstinacy from the monsoon, though he’d prefer not to stay for too long.

_ ‘I knew I should’ve bunked back at the beast camp.’ _ Fyx thought to himself and shook his head. ‘ _ The wolfmen may smell foul, but it would have prevented a twenty-minute walk in the rain!’ _

The warm lights of Shireville glimmered in the distance; he’d soon have respite in this journey. The awful squishing of mud under his feet was unpleasant, but not completely unfamiliar. This wasn’t the first time the scholar had to endure this kind of weather, but that didn’t make this any better.

Fyx entered the village and made his way to the only source of activity in this hamlet: the inn. Not surprising considering he arrived at an ungodly hour, at least by human standards. As Fyx approached the doors, he could hear bouts of laughter and conversation. Not that he was against some good old-fashioned colloquy, but considering the journey it took to get here, all he wanted was a warm bed for the night.

The oak door opened easily with a slight squeak, and the interior gave respite from the icy shower. A warm fireplace greeted him in the foyer, and the leather armchairs strewn about offered themselves for a chance at relaxation. Both humans and beastfolk sat around, enjoying the atmosphere or talking amongst themselves. As much as Fyx would’ve liked to relax and have a drink, he was in need of sleep. For now, he shook his head rapidly, trying to dry off his white mane of hair. He squeezed his dracon whiskers and got all the moisture out.

The human innkeeper was wiping off the counter when Fyx approached. He smiled through his trimmed beard, the only hair on his face.

“Hello, I’d like to stay for the night.” He asked in a tired, but polite voice, “Are there any rooms available?”

The man promptly got a fat red book out from under the counter, flipping through to a page filled with handwritten signatures.

“Yes sir, it looks like you’d be getting the last room we have.” The innkeeper responded whilst tapping at a blank spot. “It’s 50 gilded a night.”

“A fair price.” Fyx pulled his coin pouch out and handed over the appropriate amount.

The human smiled once more and pointed at the staircase. “Second floor, last door on the right.”

Fyx nodded and ascended the steps to his room. He opened the door to reveal a dimly lit bedroom, illuminated by a single candle and the moonlight seeping in through the curtains. A twin-sized bed stood in the middle, with a forest green blanket draped atop. Humans sure knew how to make you feel right at home; it was the best part about traveling to their lands.

The blue dracomage tossed his travel bag aside and shed his robes. He climbed under the covers, taking care that his large pointy horns didn’t pierce the pillows as he lay down. A quick puff of his frost magic snuffed out the flame, and he slowly drifted to sleep.

Fyx might’ve overslept the next morning if it wasn’t for the local birds singing their songs. This species sung a unique, though irksome tune. Fyx would have to return with his ornithologist colleagues someday, but for now, he was dying for a bite to eat. His nose picked up the smell of usual breakfast cooking: eggs, bacon, toast. Although he was more accustomed to eating a fine aquamarine gem or two for his morning meal, Fyx couldn’t deny the temptations of a full plate of fried pork. 

He clambered out of bed and adorned his usual short, but practical blue scholar’s robe and headed down to the dining area. The drunkards and night owls from last night were replaced by hearty men and beasts eating their early meal. A different atmosphere from when he arrived, but no less welcoming.

Fyx took a seat at an empty table and looked over the paper menu, considering each option. A creamy strawberry crêpe with hashbrowns. A tall stack of buttermilk pancakes. ‘The Beast’s Delight’, a platter mostly consisting of a variety of meats. So much he’s never tried before. The red-haired waitress came by to hasten his decision.

“Hello! Always a pleasure to have a dracon in our inn!” She cheerily greeted, “Are you ready to order?”

“Yes, my dear, but I’m having trouble deciding between the  _ berry waffles with cream _ or the  _ bacon and sausage biscuits _ . What would you recommend?” Fyx asked politely.

“In all my years working here, I’d definitely choose the bacon biscuits any day of the week. They’re absolutely amazing.” She replied, almost daydreaming about the dish.

“Very well, I’ll take that then!” Fyx replied excitedly as he handed her the menu. “Trying new things is something I simply love doing.”

“I’ll have it right out!” She said and made her way back to the kitchen.

Fyx sat back and people-watched… and beast-watched. Men and women, clearly geared for adventure; their swords and shields lay idle by their table. The same could be said for the various species of beast seen around, mostly wolfmen, but a kobold and two drakelings were seen sitting amongst themselves. 

There was one who caught his eye, however. A hooded dracon sat by himself near the corner of the inn. The brown and baggy outfit made it difficult to discern too many details about this beast, but his tail betrayed him. His scales were white, with shaggy crimson hair accenting it all the way down to the tip. The horns poking out of the hood were clearly draconic, with a dark pink color shading them. The most notable part of him was the sword sheath next to him. Sword-wielding dracons are certainly a curiosity, but not unheard of, especially for hybrids. The hybrid dracons are capable of using magic, though it is far weaker than a prime, and are frequently seen making use of melee weapons to counteract this vulnerability.

His impromptu research was interrupted by the waitress coming back with his order, the smell of freshly cooked biscuits and bacon taking his mind off the stranger for a moment. 

“Here you are! Enjoy!” She cheerily set down his plate.

“Thank you, my dear.” Fyx replied back graciously and looked over his meal with delight. 

Fluffy and buttery biscuits graced his presence, steam rising off lightly. The greasy sausage and bacon on the side, clearly intended to be combined with the baked goods, were still sizzling. A slab of butter offered itself to be spread, melting slightly in the dish it was presented in. He touched the top of one biscuit, feeling the heat emanating off; it was clearly fresh out of the oven.

As Fyx began to dig into his meal, he kept his eye on the white-scaled outcast. He pondered what elements he was aligned to; the elements were Fyx’s specialty after all. If he were part frost, Fyx would be resonating with him lightly, but he felt nothing. Fire seems like an obvious choice, given the red hair, but Fyx knew it was important to be mindful of color stereotyping. Nox wasn’t completely out of the question, but there was a lack of odor. Then again, most nox dracons (at least, the considerate ones) usually use an odor-suppressing herb compound to subdue the smell if they plan on communing with other species.

Fyx simply had to ask; he had to know. Right after he finishes this delicious breakfast.

Thankfully, the mysterious stranger hadn’t left by the time the scholar finished his breakfast. Now, it was time to  _ know _ . Fyx got up from his seat and approached the hooded dracon. Though some may be nervous at the prospect of speaking to a reserved stranger, Fyx had no qualms. Being a scientist comes with many comfort zones being violated; he learned that long ago. Tact, though maintained most of the time, was no barrier if it meant getting more information.

With a confident stride, Fyx approached the white-scaled dracon. He saw him reading a book of some kind. A fellow intellectual perhaps? He’d revel in exchanging information if that were the case. 

The scholar put his hand down on the table, and the stranger glared up. Through his hood he bore a surly look on his face, the scaled ridge on his forehead making a natural scowl. His crimson eyes struck a piercing gaze and his toothy mouth remained in a grimace. 

Despite it all, Fyx was unphased and proceeded to ask his question. “Hello, my friend! If you don’t mind me asking, I’m wondering what elements you're a combination of?” He asked, “Your white scales tell me you’re a hybrid, so I’m curious.”

The red-headed dracon’s demeanor changed from grumpy to almost perplexed. His mouth gaped slightly, as if about to give an answer, but deciding against it. His eyes looked away briefly, but quickly shot back to glaring at Fyx. He did this a couple of times, though he kept his gaze on Fyx for most of it. 

“It’s fire and sky.” The dracon replied curtly. 

Although Fyx had little tact, he wasn’t completely blind to others’ emotions. He could tell the dracon didn’t like being asked this question, making note of his fidgeting. Not uncommon; hybrids aren’t exactly the most respected type of dracon. He decided to change the subject.

“So, what are you reading?” Fyx pointed at the open book.

“Just some literature.” The dragon replied brusquely and closed his novel. He regained his confidence and now shot his piercing glare back at Fyx again. 

“Ah, very interesting! I’m a researcher traveling for a field report, may I ask where you are headed?”

“Just west. Nowhere in particular.” He muttered.

“Ahh, I’m headed that way as well! To the batfolk town of Whisper Wind specifically. Perhaps you’d be interested in traveling together?” 

Traveling along the planned route would bring him near a dangerous area. Although the frost dracomage was capable of defending himself against most threats, he did like the reassurance that having a partner brought.

“What? No, I-” 

Before the stranger could finish, he was interrupted by Fyx, “So you plan on going through Burning Hive Pass yourself? The insects there are at their most active this time of year, you know.”

The outcast thought for a moment, weighing his options. “I, uh…”

“Not to mention the dangers of the huntsfolk. We’re still technically in human territories.” Fyx gave him little time to think, “Your best option is to say yes. If we start off and it turns out to be a poor decision, we can go our separate ways.”

The dracon sighed, “Fine. We go together, but after we get through the risky area, I’m going  _ my _ separate way.”

“It’s settled then. May I ask your name?”

“Does it matter? We’re just going to walk. Nothing more.”

“Well, if you die, I’d like to have a name when I bury you.” Fyx stated very matter-of-factly, “Or if you decide to rob me, I’ll have something against you.”

He rolled his eyes, “Qyx. It’s Qyx.”

“Thank you. My name is Fyxitalitas.” Fyx said proudly, standing in a self-presenting pose. “Elementologist and researcher, at your service.”

The white dracon was unimpressed, “Yeah, good to know. I’m leaving in ten minutes, with or without you.”

Qyx picked up his book and headed upstairs, presumably to pack his things. Fyx was undeterred by the stranger’s bitter tone and went back to his original seating to ponder. Not every day he gets to meet a hybrid, let alone travel with one. Although this one seems reclusive, he’ll try to ask questions as they walk. An impromptu interview would be valuable for his studies on hybrid dracons.

Fyx left the gilded to pay for his breakfast on the table and headed upstairs to grab his travel bag. His belongings would be very useful on his mission ahead. Whisper Wind was getting an unusual amount of water dracons passing through the area, and he wanted to find out why. In the recent years that the subelemental dracons have started appearing, some people have begun to regard them as a lesser version of the element they evolved from. Water dracons, for example, are merely an evolutionary sect; a different take on frost, nothing ‘lesser’ about them. He hoped his research would shed a more positive light on the subelemental broods as a whole.

After heading back down, Qyx emerged soon after, carrying his short sword scabbard and a worn leather messenger bag. He gave Fyx the same unimpressed look as before, but the frost mage merely smiled back.

“Let’s go.” Qyx stated and they both exited the establishment.


	2. A Trail of Skulls

#  Chapter Two - A Trail of Skulls

The storm from last night left a wet and muddy world in its wake, with a partly cloudy sky overhead. A mist permeated throughout the temperate forest setting, with trees standing as a silhouette against the fog. The morning sun gave an orange tint to the surrounding area, making for a warm set piece, though the air was still chilly. 

Fyx and Qyx continued on the muddied path, their clawed dracon feet becoming filthy with every step. A warm foot bath would be in order after this journey. Qyx’s brown overcoat bundled him up and his hood protected against the cold air; a woolly inner lining gave an extra layer of warmth. Fyx’s outfit was a lighter material, but it mattered little to the frost dracomage, as his natural affinity gave an immunity to brisk temperatures. 

“Do you mind if I ask questions as we walk?” Fyx asked, breaking the ice.

“I’d rather you not.”

Fyx proceeded to take the pen behind his ear out anyway and brandished a journal. “If I’m going to be traveling with a hybrid, I’d like to make the most of it. I am a researcher, you see–”

“I said no.” Qyx glared from under his hood. “Don’t write anything about me in that journal.”

Fyx sighed, “Look, I know being a hybrid comes with a certain... stigma, but there’s so much more to dual-element dracons that people and beasts don’t see. Lord Luxisolitas of Skyweather is a shining example that you can be a white scale and still rise above the banality.” He spoke spark in his voice.

“You’re really into this, aren’t you?”

“Of course! I’ve studied my entire life!” He smiled and gave a brilliant pose.

Qyx sighed defeatedly, “Fine. Just a couple so this walk isn’t completely awkward.”

“Excellent! This will be very useful in my research!” Fyx said excitedly and flipped to a blank page. He wrote  _ ‘Interview with a hybrid dracon’ _ in an illegible style at the top and made a dash underneath, ready for the first question.

“The first thing I’d like to ask is what your childhood was like. How accepting was your broodmaster of your condition?”

“Not answering that.” Qyx stated bluntly, “Or anything personal like that.”

Fyx blinked twice. “Ah, yes, okay then. I suppose I can ask more general questions.” He crossed out the first question from the page and started writing another query.

“Which elemental affinity are you stronger with? Fire or Sky?”

“Uh… fire.” Qyx replied, “But, I prefer my sword; it’s more reliable.”

“I’ve heard of hybrids using melee weapons, though most are at least capable of producing a breath. You must not hone your affinity very much.”

“Hey, don’t-” Qyx barked back, but stopped himself. “I just don’t like using it. That’s all. Fire stigma and that.”

“Are you afraid of being viewed as a violent stereotype of a dracon?” Fyx asked as he penned in his entry.

“I guess you could say that.” Qyx said as he observed a squirrel climb up a tree. Fyx took a few moments to finish writing but continued walking unabated, even managing to sidestep a rock in the dirt without looking up.

“Now then, next question,” he said, tapping the next line on the page. “What are your general thoughts on being a hybrid? Do you loathe it? Or perhaps take pride in being different?”

“When I was younger, I hated who I was.” Qyx uttered, “It wasn’t my fault I was different, and I was being judged for it. As I grew older I learned to accept it.”

“Do you wish that the white-scaled had a better image?”

Qyx sighed, “To be honest, I don’t really care. I am what I am, and nothing’s going to change that.”

“Surely having a better image for your kind would’ve prevented you from being abandoned?”

“Don’t start assuming anything about my past!” Qyx snapped, shooting him another angry glare.

Fyx backed down, “Right! Right. I shouldn’t say things like that. Perhaps I should have all the necessary information first. Not the first time my prodding’s got me in trouble.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet.”

An awkward silence filled the air as the two dracons continued down the path. Fyx pondered what questions to ask that wouldn’t intrude on Qyx’s personal life. _What does he do for a living?,_ _Dietary preferences?, Current age?;_ none of these provided any meaningful research info on hybrids.

Qyx spoke up after a while, “Is there anything else?” 

“Uh, favorite weather?” Fyx shouted without thinking.

“Wha– Uh… rainstorm? Why’s that a question?”

“It’s difficult to gather any useful data without at least a little bit of prying.” Fyx wrote down Qyx’s answer anyway. “Rainstorms, because of your sky alignment?”

“No, I just like the rain. It’s relaxing,” Qyx daydreamed about nightdreaming.

“Must’ve been a restful evening for you last night?” Fyx thought back to the terrible monsoon he went through to reach the inn.

“Yes, it was meditative. I spent several hours staring out the window.” Qyx said with a deep breath.

“So the rain helps you meditate?”

“Eh, I just sit and watch the water drops.”

Burning Hive Pass. A treacherous mountain canyon with a nasty insect population. The oversized bugs who lived there were aggressively territorial, with a fiery elemental alignment to compliment. 

“So, how bad are these things again?” Qyx asked.

“They’re as big as a kobold and very numerous. A sting from the wasp variant injects a paralyzing agent and leaves a burning pain in the veins. Even a simple bite will leave a harsh stinging sensation that pulsates for many hours.” 

The white dragon grimaced at the thought.

Fyx pondered, “Leaving it untreated would worsen the pain and can be lethal if not properly cared for.”

“Alright! I get it! No need to say anything more.” Qyx shouted. He looked over at the mysterious orange-red sap that leaked from a nearby rock. “Uhh, ew.”

The scholar ran a finger along the goo and inspected it. “Hmm, local legend says this unique sap is the blood of those foolish enough to pass through Burning Hive alone.”

“Not. Helping. Can we get going now?”

The mood grew more tense as they took each step on the gravelly path. The chilled early morning breeze of the forest was replaced with the warm, muggy air of the ravine. Rotten, dead trees grew from the crevices, their bark burned and singed, their broken branches scattered across the trail. That same amber sap oozed from the cracks, painting trails of orange-red on the rock face. An eerie silence permeated in the air, disrupted only by the occasional stepping onto a branch.

“If we refrain disturbing the insects, they should leave us be. Just be very quiet.” Fyx spoke in a hushed whisper. Qyx simply nodded.

They continued their pace, careful to not make too much of a disturbance, though the numerous branches made this a focused task. An orange light cast overhead, tinting the surroundings with a warm glow. The sticky sap leaked onto the road, creating small clumps of sticky pebbles. 

The two dracons came across a chasm with a natural stone bridge connecting them to the other side. A large burnt tree overhung the far side and the silent atmosphere gave the crevice an ominous look. With no other choice, they would have to cross to continue. 

Fyx stopped and squinted his eyes, his ears moving as if scanning the air for a signal. Qyx took note of the frost dracon’s hesitancy and waited. He saw Fyx was fixated on the area ahead.

Qyx crossed his arms, “Is there… something wrong?”

“Shh, do you hear that?” Fyx pointed at the ravine. A very faint noise could be heard, the sound of scratching. Qyx became uneasy at this revelation and took a step back.

“What… what is  _ that? _ ” He whispered, trying to keep a stern demeanor.

Fyx looked to him, “Only one way to find out,” 

He took a slow step towards the opening, trying to remain quiet. Qyx stayed a step behind. Fyx peeked down the hole and revealed the source of the scratching: a large beetle, its bright orange shell shining in the sunlight. The insect was stuck in the ravine, desperately trying to climb out, but the steep rock prevented it from getting a grip. The large mandibles clacked occasionally, almost giving off a frustrated look. Upon seeing the dracons, it made no attempt to hasten its ascent; it was hard to tell if it was even aware of their presence.

“Well, there it is.” Fyx observed the bug’s attempts to escape its situation. “I believe this creature is called a ‘Fireborne Scarab’. I read up on this area before leaving. Good to be prepared.”

Qyx didn’t reply. He only gawked at the crime against nature as it struggled to clamber out of its natural prison.

“Well, time to get moving. Show no pity for the insect; it certainly wouldn’t to you.” He said nonchalantly and began to cross the stone bridge. Qyx nodded and followed behind shortly, leaving the bug to its fate.

The dracons continued their journey in the now more infested path. A disgusting transparent slime was coating some of the rocks, webbing itself on neighboring stones. The skeletal remains of animals were strewn about; at least, they hoped it was animals. A foul odor was wafting in the air; one might mistake it for an outbreak of nox, but this had a certain decomposition smell to it. The most disturbing sight was a large swarm of insects in the distance, constantly circling something just out of sight. Numerous smaller, more fly-like bugs flew about, pestering both dracons as they swatted at them. It was best to shoo them away rather than crush them, as they left a disgusting gut splat that stuck to their scales.

By following Fyx’s advice, the larger insect population hadn’t noticed their presence for the time being. However, they came upon what appeared to be a nest structure close to the dirt path. It was made out of an organic material, similar to a wasp hive, but this had wood and bark reinforcing it on the outside. If that wasn’t enough, a variety of skulls were implanted in the mix, mostly bovine or canine. The skulls stared out from their eternal grave, hollow shells forever stuck in their prison. Numerous hexagonal openings were present all around it, big enough for a man-sized creature to crawl in or out of. The same red ooze from the rocks drizzled over the organic construction, almost like a layer of blood. 

Tensions were high as the two slowly and silently crept past the burrow. Every step they took was cautious and deliberate, avoiding the twigs that were strewn about. Some of the insect slime coated the path, making it somewhat sticky and harder to remain agile.

Just as Qyx thought they were going to make it, a set of oversized pinchers wandered out of one of the hexagon holes. He took in a breath and quickly jabbed at the blue dracon, bringing attention to the threat. His slit pupils dilated and they both hid behind two different stalagmite-like rocks. Qyx’s heart was racing. It may have been one bug, but a skirmish would attract more to come out, especially if these were the screechy type. 

He looked over at Fyx, who had a stern, focused expression on his face. The scholar gestured to be quiet and stay hidden before peeking around to see the orange scarab had fully emerged. It scuttled around aimlessly, inspecting various rocks or dead plants, before moving closer to the white dracon’s hiding spot. Qyx held his breath as he prayed to the sky that it wouldn’t get too curious.

The clacking of its pincers grew faster as the scarab crawled around the rock formation, Qyx shifting along to avoid its presence. A large black mandible was inches away from the dracon’s leg when a falling rock behind suddenly took its attention. The beetle turned and looked at the disturbance, crawling towards the source of the noise. Fyx signaled Qyx to follow quickly and he tip-toed out of the area. He would’ve gotten further if he hadn’t stepped in a slurry of sticky bug juice, getting his right foot stuck. 

A wave of panic overcame Qyx as he pulled at his leg to free himself. Fyx turned around and noticed him in his predicament and silently stepped over to assist. He looked over to make sure the beetle was preoccupied and got out a small vial of clear liquid. He popped the cork off and poured it around Qyx’s foot. The chemical dissolved some of the slime, loosening and freeing him. 

A low chattering was heard as they turned and saw the hostile beetle approaching quickly, mandibles clacking angerly. Fyx gasped and instinctively heaved out a breath of frost, slowing the creature down with ice.

“Go, go, go!” Fyx commanded and made a run for it.

They hopped over fallen trees and more sticky slime puddles, checking behind to see their escape had attracted more insects to pursue them. Large flying wasps were now buzzing around, attempting to sting the dracons by dive-bombing them. Qyx dodged perilously, knowing an injection from their stingers would paralyze him, leaving him to die at the jaws of the ravenous swarm.

A wasp latched onto Qyx and attempted to needle him, but Fyx was quick on the draw and fired a volley of frost orbs. It gave Qyx enough time to unsheath his short sword and impale the vile insect through the thorax. The bug screeched in pain and gushed warm purple-colored blood onto the sword, leaking onto Qyx’s hand and sleeve. He pulled the blade out and left the wasp to wither and die on the ground. The beetles in pursuit paid their fellow member no mind and simply trampled over it in their chase.

“How many did we wake up?!” Qyx shouted breathlessly, checking behind to find several orange scarabs crawling on the ground and cliffsides.

“Just keep running! We should almost be out! They should stop chasing once we leave their territory!”

Just as it seemed like the canyon wouldn’t end, green trees could be seen in the distance. The end goal was in sight; it would only be less than a mile to safety. They put everything into making the distance, but the scarabs were closing in.

Their run was interrupted by the sounds of a screeching insect dying behind them. They turned and saw an arrow had pierced one of the beetles, it was standing on its four back legs while it flailed in agony. Another arrow shot a bug in the head, killing it instantly. More arrows came from nowhere and picked off the swarm one by one, leaving a trail of purple blood staining the dirt. Only the last screeches were heard as the pursuit ended.

The dracons sat down and caught their breath. Fyx intended to thank this unseen savior and scanned the cliff sides for any movement. As hard as he looked, he couldn’t see any sign of them. 

“Who did that? Did they walk off, knowing they did a good deed? An act of kindness goes a long way, I suppose.” 

Qyx scanned the cliffs too, and spotted something. “Hey, look!” He pointed at a silhouette at the top.

“Hello? Are you the one who killed those insects?” Fyx stood up and shouted at them, smiling, though he knew they wouldn’t be able to see it. The figure stood with their bow at their side, staring at them. In the corner of his eye, he saw another figure, carrying a bow as well.

“Oh, two of you? Thank you both for saving us!” He waved graciously. 

Both figures stood still. He lowered his hand and furrowed his brow, becoming suspicious. Qyx stood up and joined him, studying the mysterious watchers. He crossed his arms and looked at Fyx, who wore a concerned expression.

“Don’t go anywhere, dragon.” An intimidating voice demanded from behind. 

They turned and saw a large raider riding horseback, his Mongolian-style hat standing against the orange sunset. His burly beard and scars presented a man who had seen many battles. A bulky red leather outfit, geared with throwing knives and a quiver on his back. His longbow was trained on Qyx’s head.

Other similarly dressed hunters came out of the woodwork, wielding bows or swords. They quickly grabbed an arrow and pulled back the string, aiming for center mass. The swordsmen crept closer and formed a line to block a direct path to their presumed leader. The strangers from the cliff rappelled down to flank the dracons from behind.

All of them were humans of varying race and gender. These were huntsfolk, for certain. A sect dedicated to stalking and killing of beastfolk. It didn’t matter if you were a kobold, lizard or dracon, the huntsfolk put the fear of humanity into your heart. Most travel alone or in pairs, but this was a very large number of them, a raiding party. A large group like this only happens if they intend to pillage an encampment of beasts, or slay a high-value target.

“My scouts informed me of a dragon headed this way, but didn’t expect to find two of them.” The stranger boasted and turned to look at the white lizard, “Well, guess it technically is one. This weakling probably can’t do much to us.” He chuckled. Qyx grew indignant at those words and clenched his fists.

“Now, as much as I’d like to put you two in the ground for the honor of the sky, there’s a, uh,  _ bounty  _ for dragons back home.” He grinned and stroked his bearded chin, “Tie up the whitey, and get the blue one subdued.” He pointed with each command and his underlings did as they were told. 

Qyx began to hyperventilate as he was quickly running out of options. The hunters came closer with their ropes at the ready. He looked over at Fyx and saw his hands were grabbed from behind and a huntress was preparing a chemical from a flask. 

“Got the sleeping potion ready?” The huntress asked with a rag in her hand.

“Yeah, just make sure to cover his snout good with it. He’ll be out like a candle in no time.”

With no other choice, Qyx closed his eyes.

Suddenly, a large cascade of red energy burst from the white dracon. The hunters were taken aback by the sudden eruption of crimson magic and scrambled to defend. They had little time to react as many of them were slain on the spot. The ones that still stood readied their arrows and fired. Several projectiles hurled toward the dragon, but he managed to dodge with a well-timed teleport. Just as he recovered, he was struck by several blades, slashing at him from all sides. He winced in pain, trying to fight back with his own sword.

The white dragon heaved a great breath and engulfed the swordsmen with a deadly red cloud. They all dropped dead or unconscious on the spot. The archers on the cliffs still stood, trying to take more shots, but the smoke blocked their view. Just as it cleared up, they were met by several crimson lances shooting towards them. With no time to react, they were slain on the spot.

Several hunters began to run, hoping to escape with their lives. They dropped most of their heavy gear and ran off, even losing some gilded in the process.

Their leader noticed this, “Hey! Where are you going?! Get back here and fight!”

Despite his commanding voice, the insubordinates disregarded his call and fled anyway, screaming all the way.

Suddenly, the white scale’s massacre was disrupted by an arrow to his left shoulder. He recoiled in pain and turned to see the huntsfolk leader with his bow, preparing to fire another shot. The dragon heaved another red breath, causing the leader to become sickened and drop his weapon. 

The dracon’s hands conjured large tendril-like binds that twisted around the commander and his steed, preventing them from moving. They coiled around both their bodies, trapping the man and his horse in entangling binds. They panicked at this, struggling to get free. 

“Put me down! Put me down you dragon devil!” He shouted and squirmed in vain. “On the sky’s name, release me!!”

In a blidn rage, the white dracon scowled and slowly began to close his fists tightly. The tendrils increased their pressure, closing in on the victims and making a tighter bind. His struggling became futile as the coiling grasp constricted more movement and constrained his breathing. In that moment, the leader’s demeanor changed from anger to that of fright.

“No, no!!” He begged for his life, but in one quick motion, the sounds of cracking bones filled the air, and then silence.


	3. The Fifth Alignment

#  Chapter Three - The Fifth Alignment

The lifeless corpse of both man and horse fell back to the ground in a slump as the tendrils dissipated. Qyx breathed out heavily, completely out of breath. His hood fell off in the mayhem, revealing his shaggy red locks. He was bleeding from many places on his body and not just from the arrow in his shoulder. Crimson liquid leaked from head and hands, some trailed and dripped down to the dirt. 

Fyx stood petrified. Never before had he seen such a form of magic. It was no fire, nor sky. Something completely different. The only thing that would compare would be black dracon magic, but he’d hardly gotten a chance to see that for himself. Was this ‘hybrid’ all that he said he was?

“Uh…” Fyx uttered, unable to find the words.

Qyx quickly turned around and looked at Fyx. With a gasp, he made a run for it. Fyx regained his senses and followed in pursuit.

“Wait! Just wait a moment!” Fyx cried out, “Just hold on!”

“No! Don’t follow me!” Qyx yelled back and did a short teleport for distance.

Fyx used his teleports strategically to gain on him, though the white dragon was quick to dodge. As they reentered the green forests, he began to lose track of him. It seemed he broke off the main path as the footprints in the trail stopped abruptly. Fyx took a moment to catch his breath and looked for any sign of the dracon. 

He noticed the blood trail betrayed his route and began to follow it through a less dense part of the forest. Wasn’t the first time Fyx had to track down a bleeding creature. The broken branches and stomped grass were a dead giveaway, in addition to the crimson ‘breadcrumbs’. 

The sounds of heavy breathing emanated once more as the blood drops grew closer together. He found him sitting on a rock overlooking a cliff. The early moon lit up the scene. The dracon seemed to be tending to his arrow wound, though he made no effort to clean up the blood all over him at this point.

“Hello? Are you okay?”

The white scale stood and turned around quickly, “No! Get away from me! I’m through answering your questions! Get out of here!” He demanded, backing up and pointing at him. Fyx took a step forward.

“I’m not here to interrogate you! I’m just–”

“No! No. It’s not something you should know, or anyone should know.” He glared and inched backward more, getting closer to the cliff edge.

“I...” He sighed, “As much as I’d like to know what in the sky just happened back there, I need to make sure you’re okay.”

“Why? Why do you care? I’m just some outcast you met not even a day ago.” He stammered, trying to hide his arrow wound by turning away.

“Look at you! You’re covered in blood! I can’t just walk away knowing I let someone hemorrhage to death in the middle of a forest!” Fyx cried out, using hand gestures for emphasis. He took two steps forward. “Not again.”

“I–I’m fine. Just happens when I…” He paused for a moment, “Nothing. The arrow’s my main concern right now.” He crossed his arms and took another step away.

Fyx caught onto his stagger, “When what happens?”

Qyx tried to hide again, but he was literally cornered on the cliff edge. He closed his eyes and lowered his head. He took a long pause before saying anything.

“You... you can’t tell anyone.”He looked at Fyx with an expression he’d never seen on him before: desperation. Qyx sat back down on the rock, now with dried blood trails on his person. “Please.”

Fyx sat down in the grass next to him and looked pensively. Qyx finally opened his eyes and looked at the blue dracon briefly, before setting his gaze onto the moonlit view.

“I... I’m different. I have something that’s not supposed to exist anymore.” He began to conjure a small red orb in his hand. It had a dark red flame-like aura emanating around a black core. Black flakes drifted around, forming and disintegrating when out of range. The orb cast a very faint red light.

“I’m not fire, or sky, or nox, or any of the elements. I’m a blood dracon.”

Fyx’s eyes widened at the revelation,

“What…?”

“I was born this way. I’ve had this alignment all my entire life. You know we’re a dark myth; a forbidden magic thought long since gone.” The orb in his hand fades away. “I never use my powers. I promise myself I wouldn’t.” He eyes his sword, replaced in its scabbard. “Back there, I knew there was no other way. I had to do something or I–  _ we’d _ both die.”

Fyx didn’t say anything; he just sat and listened. His gaze was set on the far view from the cliffside. The moonlight certainly made everything look pretty. You could almost see the blue wisps of Whisper Wind from here, floating into the air.

“I’m not a terrible person. I’m not, but the stigma of blood dracons is far too ingrained in society for anyone to look past it. We’re ‘evil’. The antithesis of all that exists.” Qyx slumped forward, more than he already was. “They exiled me from my brood. No care or sympathy. Just leave.”

Fyx didn’t have any words to say, so they both sat in silence for a while, just watching time pass. Two dracons sat by a cliff at night; it was picturesque. Qyx seemed to stop bleeding for the moment, but the arrow wound still leaked crimson.

The scholar still had many questions, but he knew this wasn’t the right time. The urge to simply ask more questions overwhelmed him, but he knew now wasn’t the right time. He twiddled his fingers, shifted around on his spot on the dirt. So much he wanted to know and learn, but that would have to come later. For now, he studied the moonlit vista. He looked over at Qyx, who was still slumped over and staring in the distance in quiet contemplation.

Fyx broke the ice, “Well, we should get going. Whisper Wind is a short walk from here.” He got up and brushed off the dirt and grass on his robes. 

“Yeah, you go. Thanks for the company.”

“Wait, don’t you want to come?”

Qyx shook his head, “Why? What good am I to you?”

The scholar pointed at the arrow in his shoulder, “Are you really just going to leave that there? I know someone in Whisper Wind who can fix that for you. Free of charge.”

“Hey, I can take care of this myself. Trust me.”

“Just come with me, I beg you. I’m not going to let you leave in this condition. How can you refuse an offer at free medical assistance?”

Qyx got up and wiped the dried crimson off his face. “Ugh, alright, fine.” He grabbed Fyx’s arm and stared directly into his eyes, “You can’t. Tell. Anyone. Who I really am. Do you understand?” 

“Your secret’s safe with me. I promise I won’t tell anyone.” Fyx reassured him with a nod. “Say, doesn’t that arrow hurt?”

Qyx looked at it and regarded it neutrally, “I guess I got used to it. It still hurts if I move it, though.” He moved his arm and winced in sharp pain.

“I can ice it until we get to the town.” Fyx suggested. 

“Don’t worry, I can soldier on.”

“Are you sure you don’t want just a bit of ice on there? I can give it some frost breath and it’ll last until we make it there.”

“Well, I guess if you’re offering, go ahead.” Qyx presented his left shoulder.

Fyx blew his icy breath onto the damage, funneling his mouth to make it more accurate. Qyx winced at the cold temperature, but stopped once the pain from the arrow nummed. The bleeding seemed to stop and the blood dried.

“Hey, that’s not bad.” He moved his arm some, “Still hurts, but not as much.”

“It should help until we get there. Now then, let’s head out. It’s not too far.”


	4. Whisper Wind

#  Chapter Four - Whisper Wind

Qyx put his hood back up to hide his presence as they entered the mystical village. They had arrived in the early night, so the batfolk were awake and active, going about their business in the hamlet. Large trees grew high above the town, shrouding it from above.The blue moonlight seeped in to provide visibility in the night. The bats had their wooden homes attached to the tree’s wide trunks, making a system of treehouses and bridges connecting in between. Ladders and stairs were present, but most of them preferred to glide down with their winged arms.

The town was bustling with activity, with merchants selling their goods on the streets, a blacksmith hammering on a hot metal sword. It was unusual to see such liveliness at this hour, but batfolk were nocturnal people, with only a few ‘sunbats’ living their lives in the daytime. 

Two dracons walking into town turned some heads, especially the arrow sticking out of Qyx’s shoulder didn’t help them stay subtle. Fyx led the way to ‘Professor Greenwing’s Alchemy and Healing’, built into a great oak. A wooden door carved into the tree with a light shining through the window.

The door was not accomodating for the tall dracons, so they had to duck their heads to step in. They walked into the establishment and saw it was larger on the inside, though it was still a humble-sized abode. An empty desk was to the left, adorned with many parchment documents and inkwells. A shelf behind that kept everything organized, but that was a relative term. A curtain hid the back area of the literal treehouse, leaving only a few stray waiting chairs and a potted plant to fill the rest of the room. 

Just then, a modest-sized chiropteran came out of the cordoned-off area, holding a piece of parchment and using his other hand to adjust his spectacles. “I should be able to complete the order by early spring month, though I’d…” He trailed off, noticing the visitors, “Fyx? Professor Fyxitalitas! It’s been too long! I haven’t seen you in forever!” He exclaimed excitedly, setting down the paper and opening his arms for a friendly hug. 

Fyx returned the gesture and they came together briefly. “Professor Greenwing! Last time I came here was on my fifth-year research assignment! It simply has been too long.” He picked the bat up for a hug. Fyx’s tall height combined with Greenwing’s short stature made their hugs unconventional, but warm nonetheless.

“Yes, yes, I remember. Who’s your friend here?” Greenwing inquired, looking at the dracon standing behind Fyx.

“Ah yes, this is Qyx. We’re traveling together for the time being.” Fyx presented him. 

Qyx simply nodded. “Hello.”

The bat looked concerned, “I see you have something of an injury there. I assume you want me to patch him up?” He pointed at the glaring arrow sticking in his shoulder.

“Of course. I’ll cover the gilded cost, don’t worry, Qyx.”

Greenwing smiled, “Ahh, don’t worry about that, Fyx. I still owe you that favor, remember?” 

Fyx tapped his head in sudden realization. “You’re right! How could I forget? Not every day I have to rescue someone from getting their groin devoured by a great big wolf.” Fyx chuckled. 

Qyx was taken aback and looked down at the professor’s lower area. The olive-colored wing membrane closest to his body was damaged and scarred. He could only imagine… well, he’d rather not.

“Now, now, let’s not go into  _ that _ much detail.” Greenwing pointed up in a mocking manner. “Come now, Qyx. Step into my treatment area and I’ll take care of that arrow.” He opened the curtain and beckoned him inside. Both dracons walked behind the curtain and Qyx sat in the large chair in the middle, Fyx leaned against the wall, observing.

“So, are you the alchemist or the healer here?” Qyx inquired, sitting patiently in the doctor chair.

“Both! Although I do have my apprentice who I’m teaching chemistry to, I do all the potion mixing and medical procedures.” Greenwing set down a tray of potions and tools. “Now, take this numbing potion, and this won’t hurt a bit.”

After an hour or so of working, the treatment was finished and the arrow was safely extracted. Qyx was offered a hard candy for being a good patient. Though he initially refused, the butterscotch was too much to deny himself of. Fyx sat in one of the waiting room chairs, sucking on a fruity candy of his own. Greenwing had to record their visit before they left and sat at his desk, occasionally asking Qyx for details to fill out his record.

“And lastly, since you’re a dracon, I’d like to know what element alignment you are.”

Qyx crossed his arms and scoffed, “You don’t need to know that. Just like how you didn’t need to know my exact date of hatch, average diet, or  _ mating habits _ to fill out your paper.”

Fyx chimed in, “Professor Greenwing likes to get all the information, just like me.” He swished his candy a bit more, “Though we can stop for now, Professor. It’s been a long day and we’d like to find an inn for the night.”

“Ahh yes, you two are not nocturnal; sometimes I forget that. Most of my patients are fellow bats.” Greenwing set down his quill back into its inkwell. He adjusted his specs to fit better, “If you’re looking for accommodations, I’d recommend the ‘Akkidian Auberge’. I’ve heard good things about it from the dayfolk.”

“Akkidian? Sounds familiar.” Qyx commented.

“It’s run by catfolk. I think it means something in their language.” The bat pondered.

Fyx got up to leave, “We’ll check it out. Be seeing you Professor! Been nice catching up!” 

“Farewell, Fyx! Let’s get together sometime!”

Qyx followed suit, making his way to the door, giving a small wave as an act of courtesy. He put his hood back up and felt where the arrow had been. The numbing potion was still in effect slightly, though some pain occurred if he applied enough pressure. It was not a barbed arrow, luckily, or that procedure would’ve taken significantly more time. Even with anesthetic, those things are very uncomfortable to remove, having been designed for that very purpose.

The two dracons headed over to the hotel. A large spiral staircase wrapped around the large oak tree, leading up to the establishment built up above the ground. They ascended the steps and walked in the front door. 

A young cat girl was sitting behind the desk, reading a book, her grey striped fur stood out against the light wood of the walls. She looked up at the new visitors, looking a bit intimidated.

“Oh, uh, hello! Welcome to our inn.” She got out another leather-bound book. “R-room for two?”

“Yes, my dear. We’d like to stay one night, please.” Fyx pointed one finger up for emphasis.

“Okay then, just, uh, sign here.” She pointed to a blank space, but withdrew her hand rapidly.

Fyx took the pen out from his ear and signed his shortened name into the roster.

“Room 3. Take the stairs outside.” She handed the key over.

“And how much is this going to be?” Fyx asked, preparing his money pouch.

“Oh! You’re not–” She stammered a moment, sheepishly looking away, “Nothing. It’s 45 gilded.”

The blue dracon produced the coin and set it on the desk, “Here you are, my dear. Thank you.” He and Qyx made their way back outside to the outside steps.

Fyx considered the exchange, “She seemed nervous.”

“She’s probably never seen a dracon before, let alone two of them.”

“I try to put on a friendly face when dealing with the other species, but just being a living breathing dragon is something people can’t look past.”

Qyx exhaled through his mouth, little red particles floated out, “Yeah, I get that. I’ve just grown to accept it.”

“Maybe it’s just your hostile resting face.” Fyx speculated. 

The white scale scoffed, “Please, I tried acting nice when I was younger. No one wanted to look past the big scary dracon and see me for who I truly am.”

“How long ago was this? I assume it was before the passing of the Lines.”

“Years ago. Nothing to worry about really.”

They reached room 3, built into the tree, a sign denoted this was the correct place. It was high up from the ground, about 4 stories above. The key slid right in and the door opened, letting cold night air into the drafty room.

“Need to open some windows in here. Staying inside an insulated tree isn’t good for the airflow.” Fyx wafted the muggy air. Qyx opened a nearby window slightly, letting more cool air in.

They each took a seat onto their respective beds and sighed.

“Hey, thanks.” Qyx yawned and laid down.

Fyx shook his head, “No need to worry. I’m sure you need a rest after today. Consider it my gift to you.”

“Well, thanks. You’re too kind, spending money on me.”

“No, no, don’t worry about that. I get a sizable fund from the Scholar’s Society for my research trips. It’s supposed to be used for necessities and lodging, but no one’s stopping me from spending it on anything.”

Qyx opened the book he was reading previously, checking where he left off. After reading only a paragraph, he yawned and decided it would be best just to get some sleep. Fyx, feeling sleepy as well, turned out the candle with a puff of frost magic and drifted off to sleep.


	5. Up With The Sunbats

#  Chapter Five - Up With The Sunbats

The blue dracomage was up bright and early in the morning. The sun would be seeping through the windows if Fyx hadn’t closed the curtains to let Qyx sleep in; he owed him that much after all that happened yesterday. He brought up a chair and sat on the outside balcony, observing the people below go about their business. The bats had all gone to sleep for the day, leaving only other beasts and a few humans to occupy the village. Only a few sunbats walked amongst the dayfolk; they were easier to distinguish by the brighter fur.

Fyx sipped on a complimentary fruit beverage and munched from his goodie bag of blue gems. Leave it to the bats to produce a flavorful fruit drink, or blood drink if you’re among the vampiric batfolk. This one tasted of citrusy tangfruit, with hints of darkpod adding sweetness to it.

His relaxation was interrupted by the sounds of a groggy Qyx shifting in bed coming from inside. Apparently, he makes growling sounds when he wakes up, and Fyx found that endearing. He looked inside and saw a red-eyed dracon glaring back at him from under his pillow. Fyx smiled back at him and turned away to continue sipping away at his tangy drink. He closed the door to allow him a dar resting place.

Qyx shifted under the covers, taking care not to pierce the pillows with his long horns. Now that he had the bed all to himself, all he wanted to do was stretch out and take up space. He lay on the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. The whole room was carved out of the tree; you could even see the rings that indicated how old it was. If they weren’t misshapen beyond readability, you could count each one. A rung was also above the bed, clearly meant for batfolk to roost on. He lay there for a couple minutes more.

After falling back asleep again, Qyx awoke later to a dark room. It seemed Fyx left the balcony, as the door was open a crack. He was feeling more well-rested now that he had all the extra time to sleep in. Not like he was a stranger to it. All his life he chose when to get up; he was on his own time. In his earlier years, the broodmaster dictated when and where he should sleep and for how long. Qyx suspected they were harsher due to them believing him to be a hybrid at the time. Perhaps being exiled was a blessing.

Qyx rolled the blankets off and got up to retrieve his overcoat from the floor. He put it on and fastened the straps securely, flipping the hood up to hide himself from the outside world. His loyal messenger bag hung over his shoulder, holding all his worldly possessions. He grabbed his sword sheath and strapped it onto his side. Never know when you might need it. 

The blood dracon opened the door and was greeted by the shining sun seeping into the dark room, blinding him. Perhaps he’d be better as a nightfolk. He stepped outside into the late morning and looked down. Coincidentally, he saw the blue dracon below, talking with a human merchant. He made his way down the winding stairs to meet up. There was hardly anyone out, with only a couple of travelers or adventurers moving about the town center. A natural-looking fountain decorated the middle, water running in an endless cycle.

Qyx approached the blue dracomage and the human trader wearing a leather hat. The seller had a table of various foods available for purchase. A handwritten sign stated that there were free samples available. Qyx wasn’t one to turn down free food, no matter how small the portions. 

Fyx turned and saw the white scale approaching, “Qyx! Come, try this Dragon’s Mint Tea! It is simply refreshing.”

Qyx looked over the other options, “Yeah, I think I’ll pass. I heard those things are strong. You probably only like it since you’re a frost dracon.”

“Hmph, your loss then!” Fyx took another gulp of the blue-tinted tea.

The merchant spoke to him, “See anything else you like? One free sample of each!” He pointed at the baked goods available, as well as the different colored drinks on the side. A drink for every element.

“Hmm… If you’re offering, I guess I’ll try that bread.” Qyx pointed at the brown loaf. It had a series of dark brown swirls in it and little brown dots spotted throughout.

“Ahh, the cinnamon sweet bread; that’s a favorite for sure. Let me cut you a sample.” The man got out a bread knife and cut a short slice off the end, placing it on a linen napkin, “Try it, you’ll like it!”

Qyx took the bread from him and looked it over. Up this close, it was clear the swirling pattern on it was from the cinnamon baked in. The brown spots turned out to be small pockets of cinnamon sugar generously sprinkled throughout. Qyx tossed the bite-sized piece into his mouth and tasted the sugary goodness. The bread was thick and moist, leaving much to be savored. He hardly needed to use his teeth, since it melted in his mouth in a sensation of sweet sugar. This is why he liked human food.

“That was really good. I love it.” Qyx told the merchant. He wanted to say more, but he was no food connoisseur nor a chef, so he didn’t have the words.

“Great! Would you like to buy a loaf? Only 5 gilded each!”

“Sure. I’ll take some with me. Wrap it up if you wouldn’t mind.” Qyx placed the appropriate amount on the table.

The baker got a full loaf out of his container and put it into a cotton sack with a tie on the end. He pulled the small strings and the bag was sealed.

“Here you are! Enjoy, my dracon friends!” He said his farewells.

Fyx waved back, “Thank you! Clear skies be with you!"

The two walked away and took a seat on two nearby tree stumps. Qyx got out the human good and sniffed it thoroughly.

“Interesting smell. What is it?” Qyx pondered.

Fyx spoke up, “The humans call it cinnamon! It’s a spice from the tropical Three Seas region. Was quite the delicacy amongst the noblefolk before the uprising there.” He explained, still sipping on his minty beverage.

Qyx took a big chomp out of his sweet bread, nearly devouring a quarter of it in one bite. The sugar and spice took over his taste buds once again, overwhelming it in sweet bliss. Breakfast has never been better.

“We’ll be leaving for the water dracon brood of Uyxstilix soon after this.” Fyx stated, trying to fill the silence. “Oh, unless, you wished to part ways?”

Qyx breathed a sigh, unsure what to do. This wasn’t a normal situation for him, traveling with a partner. Whenever that happened, it was a quick trek. Just move together for the sake of safety, then break off when in a safe area. Wandering is all Qyx has known his entire life. Somehow, he didn’t feel like he wanted to go it alone again. This dracon was the only one who he’s met that didn’t run away at the first sight of his true alignment. In fact, it was  _ him _ who ran off. What was it about this dracon that he felt comfortable around?

“I’ll take that as a no then. Very well.” Fyx assumed.

“Well, uh, um…” Qyx stammered, being interrupted in his thoughts.

“Hmm?”

“Well… I think I’m going to stick with you for now. Honestly, I don’t have anywhere else to go, so may as well go somewhere with a purpose.” Qyx shifted on his wooden seat, taking another, more reasonable bite of the bread.

Fyx stroked his chin, thinking. “Well, I can’t say no to that. Always good to have some help along the road.” He smiled, drinking the last of his tea, “At the very least, you’ll be a pack mule for my notes.”

Qyx was not amused. “Yeah, if you’re going to do that, I’ll just head off now.”

“Relax! It was a joke. At least, partially.” Fyx teased as he pulled out his map of the area. He pointed to Whisper Wind, and traced his finger down to the southeast, ending on an illustrated version of Uyxstilix, depicted with coral-like structures. The white dracon peered over and attempted to sound out the name.

“Ul-Ulyx... _ Ulyxstix?  _ How do you say that?”

Fyx scoffed at the blatant ignorance of dracon language, “Uyxstilix. ‘Uyx-stil-ix’. Do you not know the language of your own people? You’re speaking it right now, you know.”

Qyx looked away, embarrassed, “Um…”

The blue scale sighed, “ _ Fine. _ I suppose the dracon naming scheme is rather complex.” He got up and prepared his belongings, “Is there anything else we should get before we go?”

“I guess we could walk around a bit and see what’s on offer.”

Fyx agreed, “A fine proposition.” 

They set out on the town, browsing the market where dayfolk sold their wares. This area was far more active during the night while all the bats were awake. Now, a diverse mix of species was present, including a few sunbats.

The dracons found an elusive gem cart. A burly lizardfolk sporting great red scales ran the spot, offering the stones to passerbys. He no doubt caught the attention of Fyx with the bounty of cyan crystals on display and he headed over there.

The muscular lizard spotted them coming up and waved, “Ah, dracons? Come! I have many jewels for you to choose from!” 

“Sorry, not interested right now.” Qyx disclaimed and turned his attention to the blue dracon, who was filling a bag. “Oh, getting a restock, professor?”

Fyx presented a crystal, “Look! Moon jewels! These are so fresh they make a nox dracon’s breath bearable.”

“They’re alright I guess. I prefer the yellow ones. Just the right amount of sweetness.”

The seller grabbed one of the sky gems, “Oh! I have some of those right here, see? Only 6 gilded each.”

Qyx hesitated. He had already spent money on the sweet bread and didn’t wish to spend more than he already had on more food, but the taste of a cloud jewel was tempting.

“Fine, just one please. I’ll have it for later.”

“Great! Always nice to have dracon customers.” The lizard smiled cheerily and the two made the exchange. “Thanks! Come by another time, I’m always in town.”

Fyx tied up his snack pouch neatly and placed it into his travel bag. Qyx simply put his yellow gem in his back pocket.

“We should get going soon. Are you prepared?” Fyx asked.

“I guess so. I got all my stuff right here.” He patted his worn leather messenger bag, some dirt particles dusting up at the impact.

“Off we go, this way!” Fyx nodded and pointed in the correct direction, “I’ll have to stop by again on the way back and catch up with Professor Greenwing. We have much to discuss.”

“Couldn’t just visit him now? It’s not too late.” Qyx turned and looked back at the tree town.

“Nightfolk, remember?”

“Ooohh.” He nodded his head in realization. “Sometimes I wish I was nightfolk. I’d love to sleep in more.”

“Probably don’t want to do that, you’ll miss the sunrise!” Fyx replied.

“Meh. There’s plenty of time for sunrises. Not like there’ll ever be a last one, right?”

Where the town was bathed in moonlight at night, now it was bright and sunny. The blue wisps of the night were replaced by yellow particles, floating around in the same fashion. Attempting to catch one was fruitless, as they simply evaporated upon touch. 

As they walked further south, the tall trees on Whisper Wind trees faded away, being replaced with bigger more beachy palm trees or willows. The green grass turned yellow, before being phased out completely by beige dirt and sand. 

Qyx took off his hood, visibly weary from the sudden heat, “It sure got hot all of a sudden. I thought we were in the cold south?”

“Ah yes, this is the Sky’s Mixing Bowl. A unique location for sure.”

“But, how? If we’re moving further down it should be getting colder!”

“Despite being in a colder part of the world, this valley’s geological structure forms an unexpected heat pocket.” Fyx explained and pointed towards the distant mountains to the north. “The foehn winds from the Red Blood Mountains to the north bring hot air, creating a unique beachy environment. Very exotic for a vacation getaway.”

Qyx was bewildered by this unabashed geography lesson, but still didn’t fully understand. The world was a strange place.

The white scale shook his head, “You could’ve just said  _ ‘magic _ ’ and I would’ve believed you.”

“True, some things in this world are indeed perpetrated by the elemental forces, but some do have real scientific explanations.”

“What about these ‘water dracons’ you mentioned? I’ve never even heard of them.” Qyx asked. He undid the top straps from his overcoat to give more breathing room and sighed in relief. 

“That’s what I’m here to learn more about. Uyxstilix is home to a small brood of water dracons. They were once frost dracons, until changes in their environment caused them to shift over time.” Fyx took his notes out and tapped his chin with his pen. “The change would’ve had to happen over the course of a generation or two. Dracon physiology is affected by their environment, after all.”

As the two dracons got closer to the seaside, the sounds of gulls and waves could be heard. The sight of the great blue expanse could be seen behind the gaps in the trees, and the smell of saltwater was filling the air.


	6. Salt in the Water

#  Chapter Six - Salt in the Water

The two dracon walked along the sandy path. All the forest trees were gone or dead, with no place to grow on the hot beach. There was large oversized coral jutting up from the ground, growing off of massive rock formations that surrounded the path. Dried up shells and starfish dotted around the rocks or lay abandoned on the ground. It almost seemed like this area was underwater at some point, with the skeletons of ancient fish sticking out of the sand and the skulls of ancient creatures staring back. A flock of seagulls made their stand on the ribs of a great fish.

Their peaceful walk was interrupted by a man-sized crab unburrowing itself out of the sand and charging towards them. Its orange claws snapped audibly as its intent to feast upon the dracons was clear.

“Watch out!” Qyx shouted and drew his sword. 

Fyx’s hands glowed with icy power as he took up a battle stance. “It’s okay Qyx! You can use your powers in front of me!” Fyx reassured as he shot a lance of ice towards the crustacean. It was stopped for a moment but continued its approach.

Qyx shook his head, “I’d really rather not!” Just then, the crab closed the distance and pinched him on the shin, “Hey, ow!” The blood dracon thrust his sword into the creature’s left side, disabling it briefly. It released its pinch, but it was quick to rebound and attempted another grab.

Fyx blew a great breath of frost to subdue it, but it only seemed to anger it. “This creature is resistant to my attacks! Unfortunate!”

Qyx dodged another swipe at his leg and swung his sword at the crab, giving it a decent cut. “Don’t you have anything else, doctor?”

The lantern in Fyx’s head lit up, “A-hah! I know!” He opened his bag and rummaged through it, retrieving a vial holding a sky-based liquid; it would’ve glowed brightly if the sun wasn’t shining here. Fyx threw the glass tube and the fluids splattered across the crab and the sand.

The crustacean made a screech of anger as its claws clicked wildly. It stopped for a moment, recoiling from the pain. Although it was clearly injured, it was not stopped and continued pinching Qyx’s shins. It got a lucky shot and clawed a meaty part, causing the dracon to yell in pain.

“AAH! Crabby crab!”

Qyx took the opportunity to do a jumping strike and drove his sword directly into center mass. The crab’s pincers attempted to grab him again, but it was severely weakened and could not do any damage. It was brought to the ground by the force of Qyx’s attack and made a quiet gurgle. Slowly, the life in the crab faded away.

The sword dragon slid his blade out of the crab’s cephalothorax. It was covered in a white gooey mess, with both small chunks of white flesh and the sky potion sticking to the sword. Qyx swung his sword dramatically to the side and the viscera flew off and landed on the hot sand. He sheathed his sword with a sigh.

Fyx pondered for a moment, “I expected some dangers to be present. I was not expecting, however, the crabs to have a resistance to frost. I’m guessing most of the lifeforms here have the attribute.”

“Yeah, well, good thing nothing resists cold steel.” Qyx crossed his arms, smirking at his own comment.

“We’re lucky it had a vulnerability to sky. Now then, let us continue towards Uyxstilix.” Fyx brushed himself off, and wafted the air, “And get away from that dreadful stench.”

The two dracons continued on the sandy path, “Why exactly do you carry around Moonglow Phosphor? Seems random.”

Fyx patted his travel bag, “I carry many chemicals! Just like the one that saved you back at Burning Hive Pass. That was an unbonding agent; I use it for gathering samples without damaging the area.”

The pair of them continued walking along the trail. Luckily, no more crabs spawned out of the dirt to ambush them. Several smaller crabs scuttled along the ground, but they were of no threat to the dragons. However, one pinched and stuck onto Qyx’s tail, much to Fyx’s amusement. They kept on their journey until they caught sight of the coastal town of Uyxstilix.

Despite the intimidating name, it was a quaint village made up of structures carved out of oversized coral formations. Some dracon-made buildings made of white concrete, with the roofs painted a bright blue, matching the clear sky’s beauty. Small grey stones formed a cobble road through the streets. The only thing missing was inhabitants.

There was no one in sight as they entered the village. It was completely desolate. Carts lay abandoned, houses remained shut, goods remained exactly where they were left. No signs of a struggle either; everything was orderly. 

“Hello?” Fyx called out. 

No one answered back. Nothing but the sounds of gulls and beach waves filled the air. A small orange crab scuttled across the main street, highlighting the desolation like a tumbleweed. Fyx looked to Qyx, who shrugged.

They continued their walk into the ghost town, keeping an eye out for any sign of life. The deafening silence brought a sudden eerie tone to this escapade. A seagull feasted on a discarded bread roll. It looked at the two dracons, but made no effort to flee. Dracon footprints could be seen in the sand, but they faded away as the wind blew by.

A faint voice emanated from a nearby building, “ Mora, huh? Coulda at least told me what that was! ” The dragons turned to each other, both giving looks of suspicion. They crept up to the source of the noise and listened. The door was open a crack and the sound of shuffling could be discerned now that they were closer.

“I’m left here alone? That what they want?” The voice was female and spoke with a certain accent. “Dracons…”

Fyx called out to the voice, “Hello? Is anybody home?”

The voice was surprised, but sounded excited, “What?! Hello? One of you came back?” 

The sounds of small footsteps could be heard coming to the ajar door. It opened, revealing a short kobold with light pink fur. She wore a dark blue outfit, kitted out with many pockets on her belt. A unique brown and red pattern served as the highlights on the sleeves and stitching.

“I dunno you.” She stated in an unimpressed tone.

Fyx got down to her level, “Hello, my dear, do you know what happened here? We’re not from around Uyxstilix.”

She crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame. “You don’t gotta stoop down to my level y’know. Kinda rude.” Fyx stood up again per her advice. “Yeah, I know what happened here. Well, not really. I live here, you see. My best buddy Yux lets me live with him and all.”

She stops leaning and looks at the abandoned town, “But recently, they just up and gone crazy. Sayin’ something about a ‘Mora’. I dunno nothin’ ‘bout that! Then they all start leavin’. One by one, even my friend Yux, I couldn’t get him to stay.”

Fyx was perplexed, “Mora? Doesn’t sound like a dracon name. The only beings that have power over other dracons are broodmasters. That was most notable during The Great Black Dracon Gathering some years ago.” He thought back, “Funny enough, I saw a black dracomage a few days before that all happened. Huh.”

The kobold was just as confused, “So you’re sayin’ this is all because of some crazy dragon in their heads or somethin’?”

“I would suspect so. Did you know this group’s broodmaster by any chance?”

“Duh, uhmm... I think his name was… Jax? Yeah, Jax, for sure. He lived in that big rocky buildin’ over there.” She pointed to the structure with a big shark skull on top.

“We should investigate his place of living. He seems like the most likely suspect in all this.” The two dracons make their way over there, with the kobold following behind, making little pitter-patters with her paws.

“Hey, let me come with ya! If you need a rogue, I’m your girl! Name’s Grak by the way.”

“Fyxitalitas. Charmed, I’m sure.” He looked at his white scaled companion, “And the quiet one is Qyx. Don’t know his full name though.”

“Hello.”

Grak stumbled over her own words trying to pronounce Fyx’s name, “Fyx-a-what now? Sorry, I ain’t no good at dragon names. I like the short ones, just three letters.”

The scholar chuckled, “That’s okay, just call me Fyx. Most dracons don’t give their full name out so readily anyway. At least not to the other species.”

“Works for me!”

The group approached the broodpatron’s home. The door was locked as expected, but Grak made quick work of getting it open. “Heh, they’d never let me live here if they knew I could open any of their doors. A lotta kobolds have sticky fingers, just natural instincts, but I try to keep to myself though. Still, I like the gems.”

Qyx grumbled, “Yes, I’ve had my fair share of little furry thieves.”

Grak finished picking the lock and the door swung open into the drafty home. The only airflow came from the windows open barely a crack. Like the rest of the town, there was no sign of struggle, and everything was in its place. The only light source was from the windows and the now open door. 

Grak examined the various objects in the house, “Now Jax is probably gonna be peeved we broke into his house,  _ but… _ no one’s gotta know about this, alright?” Fyx thought he saw her pocket a thing or two, but he couldn’t be sure.

Fyx picked up some knickknacks off a shelf, “If he’s innocent, I’m sure he’ll see reason.” He stared into a red Dragon Passion orb, “And if he’s guilty, well, a break in will be the least of his concerns.” 

Grak jiggled another locked door, but she made quick work of it like the previous one. Inside this room was a desk and many inked parchments scattered around on the surface, floor, and walls. The writings on them were illegible scribblings, but it was clear they were written with a focus in mind. Books were strewn about without care and some gems lay abandoned on the floor. The large back window formed a backdrop, silhouetting the scene.

“Woah! Now things’re gettin’ weird!” Grak’s tail went frazzled upon sight of the messy room. She snuck a green gem into her pocket.

Fyx took note of the surroundings, “Hmm, just like my research office, except mine is organized chaos! This is just a mess with no care.”

“The work of a mad man. Highly suspect.” Qyx commented.

The blue dracon sifted through the clutter and found a particular document. The scribbles on it spoke of a destination to the west. 

He presented his findings to the others, “I can make out some of the writings on here. It’s talking about a place called ‘Mora’s Fall’.”

“Sooo, it’s a place then? That’s where I’ll find Yux and the others?” Grak spoke with a hopeful tone.

Fyx nodded, “It’s our best option. Everything else here is written in garbled handwriting. Not even I can translate that!” He tried to read another document but to no avail.

Qyx spoke, “Guess we’re headed that way. I’m just going where you go, professor.”

Fyx pointed up and out the door, “To Mora’s Fall we go!” All three of them exited the house. Grak made sure to relock the door on her way out.

“Hey! You guys don’t mind if I tag along? This means a lot to me, ya know?” Fyx looked to Qyx, who made a ‘do whatever’ face and shrugged. 

“I can fight too! My whole job is fightin’, you see.” She took out a dagger and showed off a knife trick, tossing it in the air and catching it. “May as well make use of what I was taught, ya know?”

“Of course you can accompany us to Mora’s Fall. Glad to have you on board.” Fyx cheerily stated and flashed a smile.

“Great! I was actually lookin’ to head out myself, but I wouldn’t know nothin’ of where to go.” She ran back to her house and came out with a bow and quiver. The bow was shortened for a kobold-sized user and would look very small if a human were to use it. She was also now wearing a worn cloaked hood on her head, though it flew back in her rush to return.

“Yeah, I got my own bow. Not many kobolds like bows, but that’s why I got these gloves.” She showed the weapon off and her gloves, which only had tips on the index and middle fingers. 

“Hopefully you won’t end up having to use it in this quest.”

“Usin’ these things is my specialty after all.” Grak placed a hand on her hip confidently. She stowed her weapon on her back along with the quiver.

“And what is this career you speak so fondly of, my dear?” Fyx queried her, preparing his notebook and pen.

“I’m a sword-for-hire. I got a lot of trainin’ back in… well, it’s a long story.” Grak chuckled nervously, “That’s actually why I live at the dragon town, it’s low-key and no one would come lookin’ for me there. Plus I got Yux, he's totally laid back about everythin’, especially how stupid I can get. We just really know each other, ya know?”

“Indeed!” Fyx agreed, “I have my share of friends. Always good to keep a couple around.” He looked at Qyx, who seemed to be mostly ignoring the conversation at hand.

“Yeah! I met Yux way back on one of my jobs. He seemed nice and we met up again. And again, and again. Rest’s history!” Grak smiled, thinking back on fond memories. “He taught me dracon’s ain’t so bad.”

“Are you implying you had issues with them before?”

Grak blushed and scratched her neck awkwardly, “Err… well I’m ashamed to admit it, but yeah. They just seemed t’get better treatment than other beastfolk, ya know? Hated ‘em for it, just like humans.”

“Well, I’m glad you turned the other cheek, my dear.” Fyx smiled and put his book away.

The three of them continued on the path, eventually making it back to Whisper Wind. It was still as busy as ever, which is to say, not very busy at all. As luck would have it, Fyx spotted a stout teal-colored dracon, standing off to the side in the town. 

Grak noticed him too, “Hey! That’s one of them water dragons!”

“Yes, we should ask him if he knows anything about Mora or Uyxstilix.” Fyx added. 

The three of them walked over to the dracon, who had a look of worry on his face. The dragon shifted on his feet, darting his head left and right. As Fyx approached, he could feel a light resonance from him.

Fyx spoke with his usual jovial attitude, “Hello, my friend! What’s your name?”

The dracon was anxious, taking a moment before even acknowledging the lizard in front of him, “Oh, hi there. I’m Jux. I’m just, waiting, I guess.”

“Are you from Uyxstilix by any chance? I’m investigating the recent migrations of water dracons coming from that area.” Fyx got out his pen and paper again, ready to take notes.

“Oh, um, yeah I’m from there.” Jux’s response was short and distressed.

Fyx made another note before asking another question, “Does the term ‘Mora’ mean anything to you?”

At the sound of that name, Jux’s pupils shrank and he became noticeably more tense. He avoided eye contact and scratched the back of his head. His ears drooped and his feet shifted more in the dirt.

“I… I don’t know…”

Fyx stopped writing and took a closer look at him, “Is there a problem?”

“I just, I don’t want to go. Something just doesn’t feel right. Half of my instincts are telling me to go, but the other half is telling me to stay away.” Jux’s breathing hastened as he struggled to compose himself. He crossed his arms and turned to look off to the west.

“Yes, okay, it’s fine. That’s all I needed to know.” Fyx closed his journal, “Clear skies to you, my friend.”

Qyx spoke up after being quiet for so long, “Wonder what’s happening with him? I sure think something’s up with this ‘Mora’ deal.”

“True. When a dracon gets a ‘calling’ from their broodmaster, it compels them to go. Resisting puts a massive amount of stress on them.” He flipped through his notes, “It’s a magic connection left over from an era long ago. Can easily be abused by corrupted broodmasters.”

The kobold interjected, “Well? We ought to skedaddle and see what’s up!” She demanded, involuntarily stamping her paw impatiently.

“That is our goal now. Let’s hope we find the answers we seek.” Fyx emphasized and they left Whisper Wind, heading to the west.


	7. Mora

#  Chapter Seven - Mora

The air was moist as the group approached the alleged location of Mora’s Fall. The trees of Whisper Wind only seemed to grow bigger and taller as the sun and sky were blocked out; one might even mistake it for the night hour. A small trickling stream guided them along the path. Going from the hot and sunny Mixing Bowl to the cold and moist Skybane Forest was certainly a clash of atmospheres. 

Qyx had fastened his overcoat but neglected to put his hood back up. The kobold had already seen his unhidden head, so he thought it pointless to hide in familiar company. This was all rather exciting for him. Perhaps sticking with this professor would yield many more interesting adventures. It would be this line of reasoning that he’d repeat to justify traveling with him.

As Fyx walked, he picked a blue flower from the side path. One might have thought he was going to study it, but instead, he ate it. He thought about what answers he’d find at Mora’s Fall. What reason did their broodpatron have to call them, if that was what was even happening? If it was, why the secrecy? Was there something he didn’t want them to know? And just what was Mora? Fyx had heard the name before, but his vast mind couldn’t come up with where. This journey would give him answers. Fyx loved answers.

Grak stopped them both with her arm, though it was her voice that actually caused them to cease, “Hold up! Look!” She pointed to a pair of teal dracons up ahead speaking to themselves.

“I think I know ‘em. That's Kax and his sister Ryx. They host cook-outs back home!”

Fyx observed, “They seem to be okay. Though, it seems they’re arguing about something.” The two siblings were indeed obviously bickering, both adopting confrontational stances.

“I’ll talk to ‘em, they know me. You can come with.” Grak gestured and approached the dragons; Fyx and Qyx followed behind.

“If you could just listen to me for one second, Kax, then I could tell you in  _ full detail _ why I don’t agree!” The female contended.

“You know I can’t just ignore this. I know you feel it too, we HAVE to do this!” The brother retorted, crossing his arms in frustration.

Grak grew worried at the sight of them bickering. “Kax? Ryx? It’s me, Grak!” The kobold waved a paw, happy to see them. “You guys okay?”

The two were surprised at this unexpected appearance and lightened up. Kax’s face quickly shot back to anger at the sight of the two dracons following behind. He conjured a stream of water from his hand. It orbited around as he formed his hand into a fist.

“Hey! You from Maxitarias? Huh?!” He demanded in a young, but forceful tone, keeping his fist of water at the ready. 

The female grabbed his arm and shot it down, causing his magic to dispel, “KAX! That’s enough!” She chastised her brother, glaring at him, which he returned. “Sorry about him, my friends. There’s been some…  _ stuff _ going on. Who are you two? Do you know them, Grak?”

“Sure I know ‘em! If it wasn’t for the blue guy here, I woulda’ never known where you dragons went!”

Fyx presented himself, “I’m Fyxitalitas. I’m here on a mission from the Scholar’s Society to investigate the events occurring here.” Kax’s glare was fixated on him, though he seemed to loosen up after hearing Fyx’s introduction.

“I’m Qyx. That’s all you need to know. I’m not here to cause trouble.”

Kax crossed his arms, “Sooo,  _ not _ from Maxitarias? Okay, okay. That’s fine. Sorry.”

The sister spoke after him, “I’m Ryximolitos, and this is my brood brother Kaxomolitos. Our broodpatron had summoned us to Mora’s Fall. He spoke of… things.”

Kax touched her arm, “Do they really need to know of any of this? It’s none of their business. They’re not part of our brood.” 

“I was mostly talking to Grak. Besides, if she trusts these dracons, then I do too.”

Grak was annoyed by this, “Hey, you coulda’ told me all that before you left! Woulda’ saved me a couple days of bein’ worried!”

Ryx sighed, “I’m sorry no one told you, Grak. We just couldn’t. Everyone in the brood has been called. It’s... not something we can really explain.” She made sure to not crouch to meet the kobold’s head level.

Kax stepped forth, “Grak, you need to go home. This isn’t something for you. This is a dracon thing, you wouldn’t understand.” He looked at the two new dragons, “You guys, too. This is between our brood. None of your concern.”

“What?! No way! I ain’t leavin’ until I get some explanation!” She stomped her paw into the ground; her tail lashing side to side in frustration.

Both siblings sighed in unison, wordlessly admitting that there was no point in arguing with a kobold.

“Fine, I guess you can come. Just stay quiet.” Ryx conceded.

“So that means you’re coming, Ryx?” 

She sighed, “Fine. I’ll go. Just, whatever happens...” Ryx trailed off when she looked at the new guests, “Just, nevermind. Let’s go.”

The five of them grouped up and proceeded down the road. Fyx felt the same light resonance again, coming from both of them. It was minor, but he felt a small increase in his magic fortitude.

“Feel that resonance?” Fyx asked. “As a frost dracon, I can still feel some from a subelemental dracon.”

Kax pondered, “Well, I did feel a bit more powerful when I made that water stream.”

“I’m sensing it too. I feel like I could cast a good torrent right about now.” Ryx looked at her hand, contemplating shooting a water spell.

Fyx wrote down their responses under a ‘Water Dracons’ page in his book.

“Are you writing this down? What for?”

“It’s for my research. I’m studying subelemental dracons, so I want to keep everything I encounter recorded. Every moment of every day is potential for discovery. It just takes a keen eye and a sense of passion to make that happen.”

“Ah, I see. Just be careful with Jax. He’s a bit… on edge. He probably won’t be happy to see a frost dracon.”

As the surrounding forest grew darker, the teal light emanating in the distance from the rocky alcove grew more apparent. The air became noticeably wetter and the dirt ground turned to mud from the multiple streams of water flowing from the area ahead. Ryx stopped and breathed another sigh, but Kax ushered her along. As they drew closer, the sounds of chatter could be discerned coming from the opening in the rocky passage.

They passed under the stone archway and were met with the sight of a decently-sized group of teal-colored dracons. They were all gathered in front of a large boulder on the shore of a lake glowing with even more teal power. On the rock stood another dracon, but their details could not be perceived at this distance. Looking up, they realized this whole place was actually a large crater; the trees on the rim were burnt or damaged and the green-blue light bounced off the edges.

“Yux!” Grak cried out and ran to one of the dracons gathered. The one in question turned around and saw the kobold running towards them. He got down and hugged her, showing a mix of emotions as he did.

“You’re okay! I knew you’d be! Don’tchu go runnin’ off like that again!” Grak teased. They ended the hug, but Yux stayed kneeling on her level.

The friend scratched his blond locks, “Sorry, Grak. I… I just don’t know.”

“I’m teasin’ ya, dummy! Relax!” She nudged him on the arm, “We’re both here now, together! That’s all that matters, right?”

Yux stammered, “Y-Yeah, but–”

He was interrupted by a flash of magic coming from the big boulder. The dracon on top of it channeled some kind of power from it as it puslated with unnatural energy. 

“ **I can sense something; I can feel its presence!** ” The dracon called out in a booming voice. The other dracons in the crowd looked at each other, before locking their eyes on Fyxitalitas. He looked around, confused.

“ **Frost dracon! Here to spy on us?! Detain him immediately, my children!** ” The voice commanded and the brood moved in. Ryx and Kax stepped in front, blocking them. 

“No!” Kax cried out, “No! He’s not from Maxitarias, I assure you!” He pushed a dracon attempting to get past him from the side.

“ **Is that the lie he fed you?! Do not be so gullible, Kaxomolitos!** ”

Grak tried to jump above the crowd, but vouched for running up directly to the mighty broodmaster or at least to the rock he stood on, “Please! He’s innocent! He helped me get here and find you guys! You don’t gotta hurt him!”

“ **Grak?! Why have you brought your presence here?! You were not summoned!** ” 

“Hey, if Grak says he’s okay, then I say he is, too!” A dracon called out.

“Yeah, I trust our local kobold. She’s got a lie detector.” Another one said. More dragons concurred and backed off. The broodpatron’s grumbling could be heard through the amplified voice.

“ **Hrmph… So be it. Step forth, dracomage.** ” Fyx walked towards the front, “ **You too, hybrid!** ” He shouted, clearly addressing Qyx, who stood off to the side in the chaos. 

The two dracons got a close look at their leader. He looked aged and had many molted scales dotting his face. A great flowing beard covered his jawline completely, putting any wolfman to shame. His eyes glowed with immense power, though you could still see his pupils. His clawed hands channeled the power of the boulder through a series of flowing tendrils.

“ **I am Jaxipolitas, broodpatron of the Uyxstilix water brood! State your names!** ” 

Fyx brushed off his robes and presented himself, “I am Fyxitalitas, dracon scholar and researcher. I came here on behalf of the Scholar’s Society to investigate the recent movement of water dracons in the area.” He got out his notes to show as proof. Jaxipolitas used the magic tendrils to lift the papers to him and examine them. 

He forcefully propelled the documents back to Fyx, “ **So I see. I am willing to believe you now, but do not make any attempts!** ” Jax turned his attention to the white scale, “ **What of you hybrid?! Tell me your name! Why do you bring your inferiority to this brood!?** ”

“I’m Qyx, I’m just here–”

“ **Full name! Full dracon name!** ”

Qyx exhaled a long sigh and looked to the ground, “Qyxidalatos.” He looked at Fyx, who had a look of intrigue. “I’m here accompanying Fyxitalitas in his mission. Nothing more.”

“ **It is noble of your society, Fyxitalitas, to care for the lives of the subelemental dracons.** ” Jax closed both of his fists in contemplation. ” **We were once fellow members of the Maxitarias brood, living in coexistence. But when the elders demanded the highest of resonance from me and my siblings, we could not provide for them. I suspect they were not ready to believe us to be true dracons.** ” Jax’s power began to glow bright and he sprouted more energy tendrils. Water rose into the air magically, creating a backdrop for his retelling.

“ **But just recently, the sky granted us a boon! A great meteor fell from the sky and crashed into this lake. A lake once dedicated to the archaic sky goddess, Mora.** ”

Jax channels a crash of energy and demonstrates its powers to the crowd.

“ **Such power, contained within! We will use it to carve a warpath all the way back to Maxitarias! We will show those who see us as lesser that we are mighty! That we are just as capable and more!** ”

Qyx whispered to Fyx, “We need to get out of here! This guy’s crazy! I don’t want to be a part of this!”

The blue dragon shook his head, “I know brood rivalries never end well, but this is my mission and I need to see it through.” 

“ **No species nor dracon sees who we are! We are not lesser! We are not weak! With this power, we will show them who we truly are!** ”

A teal dracon brought forth a prisoner from a nearby cave. Fyx’s eyes widened when he saw that the prisoner was a fellow blue dracomage. He limped as the other dracon pushed him along. His scales were extremely pale, less blue and more of a tinted grey. They didn’t even need to tie him up, since he was so weak that he could do nothing but hobble anywhere the dracon demanded. Despite his frail state, Fyx still felt resonance from this captive. Jax forced everyone to make room as the captive was brought in front of the boulder.

“ **Behold! A member of their clan! Weaken and helpless, just as they believed us to be! This one will be an example. A demonstration of our power!** ” The prisoner was shoved to the ground and a dirk was unsheathed by his warden.

The crowd was aghast. Gasps and murmurs of disbelief and outrage filled the crater. Even those who were cheering for him earlier were in utter shock on how far this was going. No one dared to speak up.

Grak the kobold was most horrified. She may not have been the best to Jax’s brood, nor did she think that much about him, but she knew this was too far. Had he been hiding this seething hatred this whole time? She looked at the young twins, whose mouths were agape. Where once was loyal support in Jax was now utter betrayal. Grak wouldn’t stand for this. She wouldn’t allow another King’s Crown, not again.

“H-Hey!” She cried out. “You leave that guy alone! Didn’t do nothin’ wrong!” Grak ran to the front, shoving the others past by their thighs. She stood in defiance and stared down the energizing dracon leader.

“ **This is a statement! I’m only doing the best for my people, for my brood! I will not have my people be shoved aside like petty refuse! You know nothing of our species’ struggle, kobold!** ”

Whether it was inspiration from Grak’s defiance or Jax’s condescending words, the other dracons joined in her outcry. They marched forth whilst protesting their leader’s actions. They shouted their objections, demanding explanations and justice.

“ **Silence! All of you! There will be no discourse!** ”

Jax stamped his foot to the ground and the earth quaked. Water splashed up in a great wave, showering many in a cold drizzle. They fell back, cowering in this display of force. Fyx was knocked to the ground, ruining his mostly clean dracomage robes. As he got up, he saw the prisoner recovering and attempting to stand on his own.

Grak gritted her teeth, her anger building. She wouldn’t let another unhinged leader have his way, not again. Never again. Her hands clasped as they moved down her belt. She opened a pocket and grabbed a yellow gem she pilfered from the white dragon earlier. Although she intended to give this to Yux, she knew now it was better used to save the lives of many or at least die trying.

Grak stood up again, “You bastard! Eat this!” She cried and threw the modest-sized crystal at Jax. It struck him directly in the eye and shattered into a thousand pieces. He cried out in pain at the sudden assault, bringing him to a kneel and severed his link to the ancient boulder. His teal face grew a disturbing red rash around the impact area.

The captive dragon was now on his feet. He coughed loudly but was regaining his strength. The guard was distracted with the angry crowd, threatening them with a large sword, having had to abandon his small and unintimidating knife in the dirt. He looked at his hands and barely cast a small frost orb. Realizing his magic was all but inert, he picked up the guard’s dagger and watched the light gleam off of it. He looked at the other blue dracon present and gave a light chuckle and a devilish smirk.

Fyx saw the pale-scaled dracon smile at him. The prisoner had recovered from his broken state and Fyx uttered one word:

“Resonance…”

In the blink of an eye, the dracon teleported away in a blue cloud. He reappeared on top of the rock, next to the still-recovering Jax. He came from behind and thrust the knife in the Jax’s throat, causing him to yell out again in even greater pain. The crowd gasped at the display. Jax’s bodily fluids gushed out from the laceration and he coughed up more liquids. He fell to his knees and keeled over. The prisoner’s face changed from diabolical vengeance to a look of utter horror. He gawked his now stained hands. Just as he looked like he was about to scream, he vanished, teleporting away.

Jax crawled his way down the rock, coughing up more blood on the way. He came to a stop and keeled over once again. He looked at the dracons and kobold who’d gathered to witness his demise.

“M-My.... brood….” His words came in gurgled speech, barely comprehensible, “I..I… only wanted…. what was...best…” His fragile wheezes grew slower and slower. He took one last look at his brood and attempted a reassuring smile. Jax closed his eyes and took his final breath.

It was night by the time all the water dracons returned to their hometown. No one spoke a word. The utter shock of losing their broodmaster sent a silent message to them all. Fyx was archiving all the events that had happened into his book. The page was labeled ‘Uyxstilix Investigation’ with an underline and marked with the date. Qyx took the time to contemplate what happened. He’d be crunching on his cloud jewel if the kobold hadn’t stolen it earlier. He figured it got more value as a weapon than as a snack, but he’d try to ask her for recompense before he left.

The once empty homes were now lit up with bright orange lights standing against the clear night sky. Some dracons bathed in the waters, rejuvenating themselves and gaining darker scales. On the shore was a wooden casket with the entire population gathered. Qyx and Fyx stood off to the side so as to allow more room for the water dragons, but close enough to witness the ceremony. A female dracon stood in the front and presided over the crowd, her grey-streaked hair blowing in the breeze.

“We are gathered here to pass our dracon brother, Jaxipolitas, to the great sea.” She clasped her hands. “We knew him as an ambitious broodmaster, one who’d do anything to support us, to shelter us, and to protect us. Although his actions would’ve caused a great conflict, he did it with his people in mind. Jaxipolitas died doing what he cared for most: doing the best for his brood.”

Grak crossed her arms and scowled. She shook her head, “He almost got you all killed! He doesn’t deserve all this.”

Yux was bent down next to her and elbowed her, “Shh! Don’t talk like that, Grak!” The blond-haired dracon sighed. “Look, I know you only met him a year ago, but you don’t know him like I did, like the rest of us did. He really would do anything for us. He’d die for us if needed and nearly did once.”

“Yeah, heard that before.” Grak turned away and pouted. Yux sighed again, he knew arguing with a kobold wouldn’t work. She’d understand in time.

“And now, we send Jaxipolitas back to the great waters, where he will return to the elemental plains.” The aged dracon and several assistants lifted the coffin onto a wooden raft. It was doused in oil and set aflame with a crushing of several red mushrooms. With a light kick, the raft was set out to drift into the sea. The boat blazed brightly against the dark blue sky and eventually burned down completely, sinking it and the casket into the great blue. Only the last remnant of smoke billowed into the cloudless night sky.

Fyx watched. He took no notes and made no comments out of respect. It matters not whose brood you belong to, you must always respect their deceased and any rituals pertaining to them. Qyx kept his head lowered and stayed quiet.

Eventually, some dracons dispersed after getting their final respects in. Some stayed longer than others, including Kax, who stayed watching the scene even after the raft had sunk. If he was feeling anything, he showed no emotions, opting to stare blankly ahead with his hand to his chin.

The presiding dracon female approached Qyx and Fyx. Her black dress robes blew in the night breeze, though the teal ribbons tying it together kept it from flying freely. Her greying hair came down to her chest, covering her upper body.

“Hello, my friends. May I ask your names?”

“Greetings, I’m Fyxitalitas. I came to Uyxstilix to investigate what was happening here.” He bowed his head briefly as a show of respect.

She nodded, “I see. Thank you for coming. If it wasn’t for you, who knows what may have happened.” She brought her hands together and looked at the red-headed dragon. “And you are?”

“I’m Qyx, though you probably heard my full name at the gathering. I’m just here along for the ride.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Qyxidalatos.” Qyx winced at the use of his full name. “I am Ayxitalitas. I am the new broodmaster here as per our hierarchy. You and Grak both did a great deed for our people, one we will never forget. You both are welcome back to Uyxstilix anytime as my guests.” She bowed her head and left the two to themselves.

They walked through the seaside town some more, observing the various dracons occupying the previously abandoned buildings. They met up with Grak and Yux sitting on the pier, talking amongst themselves. They were watching dracons immersing themselves in the water. Fyx greeted them and Grak got up and introduced them to her friend. “Hey there! Yeah, this is Yux, my best friend ever.”

Yux got up and presented himself, “Hey. Grak was telling me about you two. I’m Yuxihalatos.”

“Fyxitalitas. And this is Qyx.” Fyx presented his partner, who did a short wave and nod.

“Hey, I owe you two. We all do.”

Grak tugged at his dracomage robes, “H-Hey now, I’m the one who saved all of ya! Where’s my thanks?”

Yux laughed and petted her, “No, no, don’t you worry about that! Just need to wait for things to lighten up some around here and we’ll have the biggest cookout ever! Crab for days!”

Grak grinned, “Yeah!”

“Now then, if you two need accommodations, I can set you up with something. The innkeeper owes me a favor.”

Fyx smiled at the offer, “Thanks, we’ll head over there now. It’s been a long day.”

“Yeah, just say Yux sent you. She’ll know. It’s on the edge of town, can’t miss it. It’s got the big seashell mosaic on the front.” Yux pointed in the direction and they headed off.

They arrived and got checked in, specifying this was on Yux. Perks of being in a dracon town was having beds that fit, no, are  _ oversized _ for you. Qyx made ample use of the extra sleeping room and rested his head against the toughened pillows, allowing horned guests to sleep without piercing them. Fyx used his frosty breath to extinguish the candlelight and they fell fast asleep.

Two bulbous-headed silhouettes stood against the backdrop of the village. Their low gurgled breathing provided an uncanny noise in the otherwise quiet night. They stood, observing the seatown with the inn in full view.

“The one came here. I am sure of it.”

“Persuasion or capture, they must be taken.”

“It will be done, but what of the blue one?”

“Persuasion, capture, or kill. It matters not.”


	8. In Runic Temples We Hide

#  Chapter Eight - In Runic Temples We Hide

A red ruby. Two green emeralds. A full dish of mini yellow diamonds. All tempting choices, but Fyxitalitas chose an immodest portion of cobalt crystals to start his day. His white-scaled counterpart chose a bowl of rainbow pebbles for breakfast, shoveling spoonfuls of tiny rocks into his maw. Dracons of different elements have a taste for items of that alignment, so Fyx was curious about what Qyx tasted in each rock.

“Do you have a preference for your gems?”

Qyx could only mumble with a fresh scoop of dragon cereal in his mouth. “Mrmm? What?”

“Since you’re of that alignment, I was wondering how each element tastes to you.”

Qyx crunched his food slowly, getting a taste of each pebble. “Everything tastes how you’d expect. Red things have a bit of zest to them, blue ones are minty and fresh. Yellow tastes like sweet candy, they’re my favorite. Green is like a bittersweet fruit.”

“So you like sky-based gems because of their sweetness. Interesting.”

“Can’t all dracons taste everything? I know I’ve seen you try some red things before.”

“Of course. Taste is universal, but when a dracon eats something of their element, it makes them feel healthier and stronger.” Fyx picked a red crystal to expound. “If I decided to eat only fire gems, they would taste just the same, but my powers would wane. As a dracon, eating items of your element is important to keeping a healthy balance and a long life.”

Qyx ate another spoonful. “Well, if you see any blood rocks, let me know. I’ll try one for you, doctor.”

The dragons finished their breakfasts and paid before heading out. Yux’s favor only granted them a room for the night; breakfast was not complimentary, especially in dracon towns where the denizen’s diets consist of minerals. Qyx put his hood up and they both exited the establishment. Fyx checked his map briefly, pointing to his destination.

“Well, with my mission complete it’s time for me to go my separate way back home. It’s been nice having you around, Qyxidalatos. Maybe we’ll see each other again down the line.”

Qyx's heart sank and he held his breath; was it really over so soon? Any other person and he’d be gone by daylight, but this dracon was like no other he’s met before; he was a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. This was something special, he could feel it. Sure he had his reservations at first, but now that the time has come to separate, he knew where his feelings truly lied. Fyx smiled, nodded, and turned to leave for the last time.

Qyx almost didn’t speak up, but managed to grab his attention, “Uh, w-wait a minute, doc.” Fyx turned around almost too eagerly. “You… I know you probably want to go back to your home and your society, but… I… maybe… we can stick around? If that’s o-okay with you...”

Fyx had never seen the white dragon so bashful; he almost seemed to be blushing through his milky scales. He closed his eyes and thought for a moment, still smiling. “You wish to accompany me further, Qyxidalatos? You flatter me.”

The dragon in question clasped his hands passively and avoided eye contact. “I just, I don’t know. I’ve gone solo for so many years, and for what? Maybe this is a good thing for me. Maybe this’ll give some meaning to my mostly meaningless life.”

Fyx surprised the embarrassed dragon with a hand to his arm. “So be it then, come with me. We’ll find your place in the world, one way or another, my friend.”

Qyx would be charmed by the blue dragon calling him friend, but he knew it was an inherent dracon speech quirk when speaking among themselves. Perhaps he truly meant it this time?

“Thank you.” is all Qyx could say. He was feeling too timid to say anything else, so he let his weak smile speak for him. Fyx returned it and beckoned him along.

After leaving the Sky’s Mixing Bowl and traveling through Whisper Wind again, they had made it back to the entrance to Burning Hive Pass. That familiar hot and muggy atmosphere filled the air once again, activating a Pavlovian sense of dread in both dragons. They had been mentally and physically preparing themselves for the trip back through that sky-forsaken canyon. Qyx looked to Fyx, who nodded in return.

Just as they got the confidence they needed, a rustle came from the sides. Where there was greenery and bushes came forth a large-headed tentacle-faced being, uncloaking from its mimetic camouflage. Its skin morphed from rough and green to smooth and light pink. The creature’s inverted pupils stared at them with its natural scowl as it emerged from the hiding spot.

More octopus people revealed themselves from the brush and surrounded the dragons. Their height gave the dracons a run for their gilded, only several inches from being head level with them. They wielded no weapons, only armed with an unwavering stare, though that did not stop Qyx from brandishing his blade. Their ‘hands’ clasped together as if waiting for something to happen. Fyx sneered at each of them, knowing full well their intentions.

“Squidfolk.”

“Dracon.” The pink one spoke. 

“I should’ve known I’d run into your people at some point or another.”

“Your goals conflict with our goals. Right now, our goal is that dracon that accompanies you.” She pointed a tendril at the blood dracon. “I assure you he will be better used in our archive temple than in your research lab.”

Qyx gritted his teeth and threatened his blade, “What?! I’m not going with you!”

Fyx stood on guard, “No. I will not let you have him.”

The pink squid made what could be discerned as a low growling noise. At once, she instructed the others to make an advance, to which the dracons teleported out of the circle and flank around back. They managed to defeat one, but the others were quick on the draw and shot fire spells at both. Fyx took a good amount of damage from this attack, owing to his frost alignment.

“Stop them.” She commanded and shot a green nox beam from both tendrils.

“Don’t make me do this, squidface.” Qyx threatened and continued slashing with his sword.

“Your affinity is exactly what we’re after. We’ve been watching ever since the incident at the pass.”

“I’ll die before I ever use my magic again!” He shouted and did a jumping strike at her.

The pink squid slipped out of the way, but took a slash on her robes. In anger, she shot forth a volley of black ink, attempting to confuse and possibly blind Qyx. Luckily, he only got a minor amount of fluid on his coat.

Fyx came in from behind and ensnared her in an ice block, “Run! We’ll lose them!”

“It is futile. We have eyes and ears everywhere in this region.” 

The dracon ran off into the forest. Despite the female’s threat, it seemed none of the other squids were capable of a fast pursuit. After hopping over numerous obstacles and taking many turns, they decided they lost them and sat down. Fyx kept an eye out while they rested. Qyx kept his sword at the ready.

“Fyx, when they said ‘research lab’ back there, that had me worried. You’re not planning on studying me, are you?”

“No, my friend. I promised you that I would never tell anyone about your alignment. The most I’ll ever do is make observations. That’s it.”

“Thanks. That means a lot.”

Qyx peeked around the tree, finding nothing. He kept a close eye out to see if he could spot the squids using their mimetic camouflage, but he couldn’t see anything.

“I think it’s clear. Let’s move on.”

“Which way should we go? They’ve no doubt set some guards at the pass entrance.” Fyx brought out the map. Drops of water dribbled onto it and he looked up to see it was starting to rain. “We need to go before we’re caught in the storm.”

Qyx pointed at a mountain range on the map, “Highlander’s Peak? They won’t expect us going the opposite direction.”

“Hmm, yes, it’s an idea. I suppose it’s as good an option as any.” He rolled the map up. “Let’s move.”

The dracons snuck through the dense forest, taking care to stay quiet. Crushed ranches and plants threatened to betray their position, there was no other way. The rain was becoming more heavy as time went on. Where was once a light sprinkling was now becoming a hard downpour.

“Rain. Always the rain!” Fyx complained.

“I thought you’d like it, being a frostie and all.”

“I admit, the temperature is pleasant and comfortable, but being wet is no fun.”

Just then, a loose piece of the ground collapsed under and sent them down a mudslide. They tried to grab onto anything, but the slick rain made it hard to get a grip. Tumbling down the slope, they landed in front of a short stone obelisk, glowing with blue runes.

Qyx rubbed his neck, “Ahhh! Ow. Ack, that hurt.” He checked and found he and Fyx suffered some cuts, which bled moderately.

“Lucky to have survived. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Just a couple cuts.” He observed the pillar. “What’s this thing?”

“I’ve seen these before. Squidfolk put them up as lanterns and mark their territory. This is just a symbol that we’re in their domain now.”

Suddenly, Qyx swung his sword at a random bush, cutting it down. “Ahh! I thought I saw one. I swear it just moved.”

“Hmm, keep an eye out. We’re not going to be alone out here.”

After dusting themselves off and recovering, they found the path nearby. They debated whether it would be wise to take the most predictable route, but the slippery mud was making it hard to maintain balance.

Down the road, a large structure stood against the grey sky, towering over the surrounding treeline. Two grand obelisks stood on either side of it, giving an imposing silhouette. As they grew closer, the dirt trail became paved with hexagonal grey stone pathing. Smaller obelisks lined the sides of the path, glowing a subtle blue from carved runes. A portcullis entrance was massive in scale, at least twice as tall as the evergreen trees in the area.

“Woah. Is that where they live?”

“I’ve never actually seen their archives for myself, but I would suspect so. Be weary, I see some squids on patrol.”

Several guards were keeping an eye out, not only for them, but for any would-be intruders to their grand structure. The dracons decided to duck back into the brush to avoid their prying eyes.

The pink squid from before arrived with the original ambush party. A guard on patrol gave her what looked like a gesture of respect upon her approach.

“Mauoxx. Welcome back.” The guard lowered his head. “I assume the mission was completed, no?”

“To my utter frustration and chagrin, it was not. Although they were caught off-guard, they managed to evade our attacks and escape. I suspect they are still in the area, so I have assigned scouts to search the area.”

Just then, something caught her eye. She slid over to a spot where the dracons were standing a moment before. Shimmering red on the ground. A trail of it led her to the forest where they were hiding.

“Qyx!.” Fyx whispered, “She’s coming! She sees our blood trail!”

The white dracons panicked at the prospect and did his best to stem the bleeding. Around the trees, they hid, trying to stay out of sight. The strange breathing of the squid came closer and closer, until she stopped suddenly. Mauoxx looked around at the scene and slid over to Fyx’s hiding spot. Qyx feared he may have to do something drastic.

Almost on cue, thunder struck and a horrible screeching noise came from the squid as she clenched her face. Fyx ran over to Qyx and grabbed his arm and fled with him.

“What did you do?!”

“Stabbed her in the eye with my pen. I had no choice!”

Qyx grimaced at the mental image. “That’s crazy!”

“It was spur-of-the-moment. Now let’s just run, okay?!”

With no sense of bearings, they ran in whatever direction this was. A hurricane monsoon came pouring down as they ran. The forest all looked the same under the torrent of rain and thick fog. A tree came crashing down, but they both managed to teleport out of its path before it crushed them. They looked behind and more unstable timber toppled over under the violent storm, blocking the path completely. With that, the dracons took a minute to assess the situation.

“Whe–where are we even going?!” Qyx yelled over the howling wind.

“The mountains, as we planned!” Fyx pointed at crashed timber. “Those trees will slow them down! We should be safe, but not for long!”

Qyx looked at the blockage and concurred, “Yeah, I’ll bet. And the storm will wash away our tracks!”

“Indeed. Now let’s move before the storm gets even worse!”


	9. Through the Storm

#  Chapter Nine - Through the Storm

Trudging through the mud, their clothes were soaked and their manes were ruined. The typhoon showed no signs of letting up. It even seemed to come down harder the more they wished for it to cease. More trees came down but these ones were small and easy to bypass. Fyx looked at his companion’s outfit and wished his own dracomage robes came with a hood. He had the option for one many years ago, but he opted for the more practical short-trimmed robe instead.

Just as things couldn’t get any worse, a wild pack of mangy wolves burst out of the bushes and started a battle. 

Qyx growled, “Argh! Not now!” He drew his sword and prepared for combat.

A wolf with one blind eye came charging at him, but Qyx managed to sidestep this attack and swiped at the canine’s side. The wolf received a large laceration but continued its attempts. Another charge and he dodged again, this time the white dragon stabbed the beast in the vital areas. It yipped, but yet again tried to attack, this time managing to bite the dracon on his right arm. Qyx cried in pain and was tempted to charge a blood magic attack in vengeance, but decided against it and simply clawed the wolf and ended its hunt.

Fyx was being assaulted by two angry canines. One growled and jumped to his head level, the other attempted to go for his exposed legs. The leaping one was put down quickly with an ice shard through the neck; it carried its momentum and tumbled into the mud in a long skid. The second dog ravaged Fyx’s shins, tearing at his scaled legs. He whacked it on the head with his fist, but a mighty frost breath finally made it cease its attack. 

Still hungry for a dragon dinner, the remaining wolf ran and howled, signaling for support. Qyx quickly caught up to it and grabbed it by the neck, digging his claws into its throat. It coughed and attempted to wiggle free, but the dragon’s sword pierced through its body.

The howling was not met with silence, however, as a massive black wolf twice the size of the previous ones rushed out of the brush and confronted the dragons. Its orange eyes glowed in the violent storm, regarding both dragons with anger.

“That’s a big one!” Qyx took up a defensive position.

“It must be their alpha! Expect a savage attack!” Fyx advised and prepared his fingertips for more icy spells.

The battle-scarred alpha growled fiercely and dug its paws into the dirt, waiting for the right time to strike. Both dragons locked eyes with the beast, ready for the onslaught. Without warning, the alpha did a big leap and pounced onto Fyx, taking him completely off guard and disrupting his magic focus. The wolf tried to bite Fyx’s face off, but he narrowly dodged it. Qyx was quick to help and drove his sword into the wolf’s side, hoping to slice its vital organs.

A deafening howl cried out from the alpha and it turned its gaze onto the perpetrator, climbing off of the blue dragon and pouncing onto the white one. Qyx was forced against a tree with the wolf dangerously close to tearing him apart, but he kept it back with both arms. It growled and barked as it clawed at his arms, ripping the blood dracon’s coat sleeves.

Fyx recovered from the attack and saw Qyx being assaulted by the merciless canine, desperately holding it back with all his might. Using both hands, he conjured a great ice lance, preparing to fire it directly into the beast’s weak point. Once it had solidified, he threw it off at a great speed, shooting clean through the wolf’s body.

Another great howl echoed through the forest as the alpha recoiled from the surge damage. It toppled over and whimpered on the ground, seizing in the filthy mud. Its leg tried in vain to pick itself up and run, but all the strength it had was gone. Both dracons observed the dying beast as it twitched and yipped at the sharp pain from moving its legs too much.

“Leave it to die. Let’s go.” Fyx demanded and continued on the path, stepping over other bleeding dog corpses.

Qyx looked at the dying alpha one last time and caught up with the blue dragon.

The miserable storm became worse with the reek of wolf’s blood on their outfits. Both dragons marched along, hoping that this trip would end soon with the sight of an inn or a town. The air was becoming even colder as they hiked up the incline, and the trees became fewer as they climbed this mountain. The rain made walking along the cliffside extremely dangerous with the slippery mud and the risk of a rockslide. A thick fog building up made visibility worse, so they took each step carefully. The cracks of thunder crashed through the region; lightning strikes zapped through the cloudy fog.

As they trudged further on the path, they came across magical stone torches lighting the way. The yellow glow was a boon in this trying time, guiding them along to safety. More evidence of civilization came in the form of a stone sign bearing the name ‘Daxmyriax’ and an arrow pointing in the direction.

“Finally, someplace to take shelter!” Fyx sighed in relief.

“Honestly thought we’d be on our own here. Thank the sky.”

Not knowing just how far this town was, they continued on, hoping it wouldn’t be long until they got respite. More thunder echoed in the distance, further emphasizing the hostile environment they found themselves in. A bolt of lightning shot down to earth, frying an already burnt tree further. A thin trail of smoke sizzled out from the top and it collapsed into a pile of sticks and bark.

Across the chasm in the distance, the hospitable lights of a town could be made out through the fog and rain. Although none of the dragons said anything, they both felt a weight coming off their shoulders. Only a couple more steps and they could rest and decide what their next move would be.

Without warning, a light cloud appeared before them with sparks of electricity zapping out of it. A cyan-colored dracon appeared before them, his grey hair was shaggy and his left horn was broken off. He took up a defensive pose and cracked some lightning between his hands. 

“Hey! Wait… you’re not a squid? Who are you two?” He dissipated the zapping magic and approached them.

Fyx tried to make a friendly face through the harsh wind, “I’m Fyx! Who are you? Are you a lightning dracon?”

“Hey! I’m Mox, but we should get back to Daxmyriax. Come on, I’ll lead the way!” Mox beckoned them along. 

The storm made it difficult to see much of anything, but with their new guide, the dracons managed to persevere. Mox escorted them through the treacherous landscape, making sure to wait in-between teleports to allow the dracons to make the same jump. He took many shortcuts, teleporting over large boulders or through other natural obstacles, saving precious seconds. 

The town was only a couple steps away, so they opted to trudge the rest of the way there. A great stone sign had the name ‘Daxmyriax’ carved into it, signaling their arrival to safe haven. The buildings were all made of more stone, painted white and spaced close or built on top of each other. It seemed the limited space to build forced them to conserve land in innovative ways. Mox led them to a large building, holding the door for them and grinning an odd smile.

Inside, the establishment was revealed to be a commons area, with many other cyan dragons gathered amongst themselves. Some took note of the new strangers entering their town and stared out of the corners of their eyes.

“Mox, who did you bring back? Are they a danger to our brood?” A female dracon entered the scene, her mane trimmed short to a manageable level.

“Hey! I found these two out in the storm, so I brought them here. Couldn’t have just left them out there now, could I?”

The female frowned and shook her head. She took a moment to look over these strangers, but her gaze was fixated on Qyx. She studied him intently, analyzing every inch of his form. He looked at her and they stared at each other, as if there was some unspoken understanding between the two. Fyx’s eyes darted between them, waiting for something to happen.

Finally, she ceased her staring and greeted the dragons, “Welcome to Daxmyriax. I am Myxalatitas, broodmatron of this clan.” She bumped her chest once as a form of salute. 

Fyx did his signature greeting pose and presented himself, “Greetings broodmatron, I’m Fyxitalitas.”

“And I’m Qyx.” He was still perturbed by the staring earlier but still tried to make an effort to say hello. Once again, they stared at one another, but for a much shorter duration.

“A pleasure to meet you, Fyxitalitas. What brought you here?”

“I was originally here on a scientific investigation in the south, but things have  _ changed _ some since that concluded. If I may ask and obvious question, you and your brood are lightning dracons, yes?”

“Indeed. My brood were once sky dracons, but we migrated north from the lowlands. We had intended to be closer to the sky and allow ourselves greater resonance, but we were sorely mistaken. Instead, we evolved over our generations to lightning dracons.” Myx clawed her hand and formed a ball of electricity, demonstrating her abilities. 

Fyx was excited at the thought of meeting not one, but  _ two _ subelemental broods in a single research expedition. Although he knew Mox was a lightning dracon, he didn’t expect to be meeting his brood on the same day. Such anticipation to begin studying had him equipping his journal immediately, but he was cut short by Myx’s words.

“What are you doing?”

Fyx stopped before he could even begin writing and looked up at the broodmatron. “Writing my notes! I like to keep a record of the world or my trav–”

“I’d rather you not, at least in my presence.”

“Is there a problem? Am I not allowed to write things?”

Myx sighed, “I never thought I’d meet another eccentric dracon, but here we are.”

“Are we safe here?” Qyx asked, breaking their minor argument.

“As broodmatron, I can promise you that you will be safe with my clan. So long as there are no incidents, you will be allowed to stay.”

Qyx felt relieved upon hearing this, “We would be grateful. Thank you, Myx.”

“Yes, we are in your debt.” Fyx concurred.

Myx smiled at both of them, but still twinged at the sight of the white one. “I have something I need to check on. You two may relax here for as long as you wish. Bright skies to you.”

Fyx conversed with Mox, who had an array of topics he liked to discuss; his eccentric attitude appealed to the blue dracon. Qyx decided to rest his head on the table after ordering a plate of human-style steak. He thought about the events that transpired this day and what the future will hold. Hopefully, this will all be put to rest once he gets some sleep. Everything would be okay.

“I know what you are.”

Qyx shot up and saw Myx sitting at the opposite end of his table, leaning in and staring intently at him.


	10. Tales Untold

#  Chapter Ten - Tales Untold

“What.”

“Blood dracon.” Myx explicated, never taking her eyes off of the dragon in question. She glared at him and he tried to return the same look, but this sudden revelation made him uneasy. They didn’t move, both seemingly afraid of what the other would do.

Myx finally broke the silence, “I have seen another like you. I  _ knew _ another like you.” She finally moved, taking a more relaxed posture but still on guard. “They told me they were a hybrid, and I believed them.” 

Qyx didn’t say anything, he just listened.

“I loved her with all my life. We did everything together.” She looked Qyx in the eyes, “But one day, she let it slip she wasn’t a hybrid.” Myx shook her head, “I was… angry. To know she was of blood alignment, I was furious. I felt misled and lied to, by my own mate.”

Myx looked down at her left hand. Red marks wrapped around it, like a rope was tightly bound around it, leaving a bruised pattern of purple and crimson. The aberrations stood out on her teal scales, her reddened veins drew up and down her hand and wrist.

“It didn’t end well.” She said flatly.

Qyx interjected, “So you don’t trust me, is that it, Myxalatitas?”

She sighed, “Look, I don’t want to be your enemy, but the fact of the matter is that you are of the forbidden element. You may stay here for a night, but I believe it would be best if you leave our home after.”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone, I never have! Especially the people who’d take us in from the storm.” Qyx spoke through his clenched jaw, “I don’t even want these powers, but I can’t get rid of them.”

Myx sighed again and looked away, avoiding eye contact and shifted her gaze. Her claws scratched at the table lightly as she pondered this predicament. She looked over at Fyx and Mox talking it up, drinking drinks and enjoying their time.

She finally conceded, “There is one thing I could help you with.” She stood up and beckoned him to follow, “Come with me. Bring your friend if you wish.”

Qyx got up and collected Fyx, who was just finishing a conversation with Mox about how he lost his horn. They both followed Myx to her personal quarters at the very top of the building. Past a blue curtain, they entered her chamber, which was decorated with much lightning-based décor. Small gems and knick-knacks sat on her shelf, serving as either adornments or snacks.

“So, why have you brought us here?” The blue dracomage asked.

“I know what your friend here is.” Fyx attempted to interrupt but was shushed by Myx. “I knew one of his kind before. It did not end peacefully.” She rolled up her sleeve to reveal the red scar went all the way up to her elbow, leaving a ravaged, scarred limb. 

Fyx observed it, “That is a very interesting injury. How unfortunate for you.”

“I don’t need your pity, sarcastic or not. Besides, that’s not why I asked you here.” She opened a locked chest in the corner and pulled out an ancient tome. The cover was old black leather with dark red titling gracing the front:  _ ‘The Expurgated Dracon History' _ . “That dracon, she left this book behind after our confrontation _. _ I don’t know what to make of it.”

Fyx was dismayed at the sight of this compendium, “Wha–? Where? Where did they get it?”

“That is something I cannot answer.” Myx opened the cover, flipping through some of the pages. “Everything here is well-known. Ascendance Day. The splitting of the elemental broods, something about ‘white energy’. Everything.”

“So why the title?”

Myx pressed her lips, “Yes, that. There is one section here that you’ll never find in any history book. This period of time was seemingly skipped over, perhaps for good reason.” She opened to ‘The Twelfth Cycle’ and presented it. “It goes over an ancient war long ago, between black dracons and corrupted white-scaled dracons.”

Qyx’s heart sank at the implication that he was corrupt in some way.

Fyx, however, was at a loss for words. His entire life he thought he knew everything about dracon history, even the lesser-known pre-evolved era that is constantly saturated with tales of fiction. He shook his head; there was no way this was real. Why would there be an entire era in history that’s been glossed over? This discovery could have tremendous implications if true. He had to know.

Myx handed it over, “I don’t want to keep this thing anymore. All it’s done is open my mind up to questions whose answers I fear.” Qyx takes it, but she doesn’t release her grip. She looks him in the eyes, “But if there’s one thing I know, it’s that it should never fall into the wrong hands.”

“And yet you are giving it to me…” 

“Perhaps. But I’d rather it not burden me, and by extension, my brood anymore.”

Fyx nodded his head reassuringly, “We promise to keep it safe. You have my honor.”

For once in this conversation, Myx smiled, “Thank you. You may return to your rooms or stay longer in the inn. That is all.” She cast a serious look at Qyx, “But you, blood dracon, stay out of trouble. I will trust you to not show your alignment to my people, and in exchange, you will be allowed to stay here in Daxmyriax.”

“I promise. Thank you, Myx.” Qyx lowered his head passively and left with his blue-scaled friend, taking the tome of forgotten knowledge with them. Myx stayed in her chamber and thought pensively about her choice.

As they took the stairs back down to the commons area, they ran into Mox who greeted them, “Hey! Hello again, Fyx, Qyx. All finished up with Myx? Hey, that rhymes!”

Fyx laughed nervously, “Ah! Heh, um, yes. We talked about things and now we’ve finished up.”

Mox continued, “Now then, shall we get back to our chatting Fyx? I was just getting to the exciting bit.”

“Er, sorry, Mox. Qyx and I have some business to get to. We’ll be retiring for the night.” 

“Ooooh, right, didn’t think you two were like  _ that _ . I’ll leave you to it then.” Mox chuckled.

Qyx blushed, “H-hey! It’s not like that! We’re just friends...” He pointed an accusatory finger at the cyan dragon.

“Hey! Excuse me, just two dudes taking a room for the night? I just assumed, ya know?”

Qyx almost lashed at him with his blood magic but refrained. “By the sky…”

“Come on, let’s head to our room.” Fyx ushered him along and Mox waved goodbye. “Friends, huh? Guess now I know what you think of me, Qyxidalatos.”

Qyx stammered once again, “Ah! Yes, uh, that was just, you know,  _ a relative term. _ ” He chuckled nervously.

“Mhmm…” Fyx hummed, but he knew what Qyx was trying not to say. He knew that he really did like him. Why else would he go out of his way to stay with him? It was endearing, in a way. Fyx didn’t say anything more and just smiled to himself.

Their room was cozy, with two dracon-sized beds on either side. A large carved wooden art piece hung on the wall, depicting a great antiquity dragon flying above the open ground. Two candles lit the room, hung above the beds and bathed the room in orange light. Out the window, the storm raged on with no end in sight.

Qyx laid on the bed while Fyx sat on the end of it, holding the tome. He skimmed through most of the chapters, trying to look for any disparities from what he knew, but he found none. ‘The Twelfth Cycle’ _.  _ It still taunted him every time he turned to the page and promptly skipped it. He couldn’t wait any longer.

“Are you ready?” The scholar asked the resting dragon.

“We don’t have to read it, you know. It’s probably going to raise more questions than answers, just like she said.”

“This is your people’s history! This could give us something to go on, something to help you with what you are!” Fyx protested.

Qyx shot up out of his bed, “MY people?! You think I  _ want _ to be identified with them?” He shook his head in disapproval and laid back down. 

“Denying the truth isn’t going to help you. You need to understand just what you are. If not to embrace your heritage, but to take steps in avoiding the sins of the past.” 

Qyx grumbled to himself. “No. I’m not ‘corrupted’. I am not one of them.”

“Hiding from who you really are is just going to harm you more than just facing the truth.” Fyx instructed. “My broodmatron taught me the real world was a dark and scary place. For many years, I believed her. I didn’t want to even know what lurked outside of our village.” 

Fyx lay a hand on Qyx’s side, and could feel his grumblings ceasing. He continued thinking about his personal history, staring out into the dreary storm.

“But one day, I ventured out without anyone knowing. I discovered a massive world filled with new things to discover. And you know what I did?” Fyx retrieved his notebook, “I wrote everything down. Anything I found, I sketched or took notes on. From then on, whenever she tried to scare me, I just looked at my notes and felt comfort. That’s why I like writing everything down; it activates a therapeutic sensation in me.”

Qyx closed his eyes in thought, it took him a minute before he moved. He breathed a sigh and sat up next to Fyx on the bed. “Fine. Maybe this is what I need to help me with who I am.”

Fyx wrapped his arm around Qyx’s shoulder in a side hug. “Taking a step back and facing reality is step one to acceptance. Trust me, this is good for you.”

“Fine, I’ll trust you on this, Fyx.”

The blue dragon lay the book in position so that they may both read easily. He flipped to the section titled ‘The Twelfth Cycle’ _.  _ Qyx took a breath in trepidation, Fyx, in anticipation. With each word, they were taken back in time, many, many centuries ago. A time when dracons had just begun to walk on two feet and magic was just beginning to flow through the lands. A time of rapid changes. A time of great conflict.


	11. The Twelfth Cycle

#  Chapter Eleven - The Twelfth Cycle

Loximaxitorotos, or ‘Lox’ to his white-scaled brethren, sat alone in the scarlet halls. The war was far from over, but this was a moment of respite from the constant battling that’s ravaged these lands. He breathed in, he breathed out. The familiar red particles floated out his mouth and through the air, slowly dissipating into nothing. Perhaps he could stay here, forever.

His tranquility was interrupted by his broodsister, Vexadalinaratas, creaking the entrance door open. The shifting and clinking of her armor gave her previous activities away, or perhaps it was future activity. Lox didn’t know, since he hadn’t turned to look at her, hoping to siphon as much relaxation as he could from this moment. Breathe in, breathe out.

“Lox.” She commanded.  _ ‘Gah,’ _ he thought. “Are you finished here? We were supposed to move out 30 minutes ago.”

Breathe in, breathe out. “Of course. I just figured you’d come get me when  _ you _ were ready.” Lox shined a smug smirk, clearly aware how much this annoyed his broodsister.

Vex rolled her eyes, “Come on, leader’s waiting.”

Lox grabbed his red dracomage robes and threw them on, catching up to Vex who had already started walking. They marched through the gothic halls, passing by other white-scaled dracons, some smeared in the familiar red liquid, clearly returning from battle or other strenuous magical activities. Lox never liked how lightheaded he felt after battle, so he always had to sleep it off; such is why he took such a long time in the meditation chamber.

“You’re in such a hurry, huh, sis?”

Vex scoffed at his insolence, “Hey! We’re at war you know. Those black dracons don’t let up and there’s far more of them than us.”

Lox put his hands up, “Hey, you and I both know how important rest is. Everyone here knows that if you put too much of yourself into your magic, you’ll die.”

“Of course. That’s why we  _ need _ everyone at the ready. Let the tapped-out rest while the capable swap out with them.”

Lox stroked his frazzled red beard, “Couldn’t I just sign up to be a full-time breeder? We need more troops, don’t we?”

Vex nearly slapped him for that perverted comment, “Lox! Procreation is everyone’s duty and you’ll get your turn soon enough. It’s a delicate balance that the elders have planned out.”

Whether his comment was sincere or made up just to get under his sister’s scales, Lox hadn’t decided yet. What he did know was that every step he took was one closer to the misery that was war. 

The siblings finally made it outside where other blood dracons were gathered. The sun was obscured by the clouds and the temperature was rather mild; it only served to highlight the dreary mood. Most of the dragons present were in small groups, talking amongst themselves. Some were warriors, some were dressed in dracomage garb, but all of them had varying amounts of crimson smears on them. Evidently, they had little time to wash between skirmishes, except for Lox, who partook in the bathhouse during his ‘extended break’.

Through a natural instinct, they were all brought to attention. All of them stopped what they were doing and looked toward a mighty dracon stood atop a rock, serving as a raised platform for him to address his underlings. Even the ones inside the building came out, sensing the calling. Despite the hairiness of dracons in this era, he stood out as an even hairier one, with a long red mane and whiskers draped out from his hooded robes dramatically. 

“My children…” He says to them, “Our enemies make rapid progress and our numbers are dwindling. It is with a heavy heart that I tell you that we may lose this war.”

Gasps and murmurs permeated through the crowd. Broodpatron Rax flashed a great crack of blood magic to draw attention back to him.

“We may have fused the power of white energy with black dragomage magic, but in that process, we lost our connection to the elements. It is this advantage that our enemy has against us. Their resonance in all four elements has proven to be the advantage they need.” Rax’s body language depicted him as defeated, but his face was stern.

The gathered dracons were visibly distressed. If the black dracons got them, there would be no trial and no pity, only death. Cries of fear and anger erupted from the crowd, demanding that there must be some other way.

Lox turned to look at his broodsister, who dropped her soldier attitude and was visibly worried for the future. Her hands clasped together as she waited for her broodmaster’s next words. Lox comforted her, giving her a hug from the side. Breathe in, breathe out.

Rax’s words came quickly, “But the elders and I have a solution! A way to preserve our kind so that we may live forever!” He pointed behind them all, to the west. “Some of our brood will take it upon themselves to venture past the great Journey Plains, hidden away from the encroaching black dracon army. This land is vast and endless, and no one dares venture out there with any hope of returning. It is a natural barrier and the perfect shroud for the continued existence of our kind.”

In that moment, the crowd’s mood was uplifted. Some cheered and smiled, others embraced one another. Vex sighed in relief, like she’d lost a weight off her shoulders. She smiled at her broodbrother and he returned it. The sight of his brood in radiance filled Rax with happiness, but he knew what came next. 

Rax looked down, thinking of his next words carefully. “But, in order for our plan to work, this last bastion of blood dracons will have to fight the approaching army. We must make our last stand here and now, so that a colony may escape into the wasteland. We have to give the illusion that every member of our brood fought until the bitter end.”

Silence once again overcame them all. “But who is going to leave? Who’s going to continue our legacy?” They asked.

Rax brought a scroll and presented it, “This roster is all those who were chosen to make the journey. The rest of us shall stay behind and die to preserve our existence.”

Everyone was quiet. Whispers and murmurs permeated throughout. All of them worried about who would be on the list. They were all visibly anxious, whispering to each other and speculating. That’s when Rax began listing names.

“Poxihalatosotas. Hyxiraladoratos. Qaxadarinaratos. Toxivalitaletas. Kixomoridanitos. Loximaxitorotos…”

He continued reading, but by that point, Lox's heart had already sank. He’d finally gotten what he wanted: a way out of this terrible war. But what about his sister? He looked and she wore a face of pure and utter consternation.

“L-Lox…” She murmured under a trembling breath, her eyes glistened as the reality set in.

Her brother was much of the same. His emotions were getting the better of him and they came together in a hug.Lox tried to keep himself calm, even with his breathing techniques, but he was reduced to a sobbing mess.

“But… I-I don’t want to go... not without you.”

Vex struggled to conjure words, “We’re not even real siblings; we just so happened to hatch at the same time. Not that I feel any less about you…”

Breathe in, breathe… out? Lox’s efforts to stay stalwart had already failed. Not even having the strength to stand up, they collapsed into a pile of tears and scales. Looking around, other dracons displayed a range of emotions. Some were happy to leave it all behind, some wanted to stay and die in honor. Others were equally as distraught about leaving their friends and brood behind, but others made efforts to hide their emotions.

“But what of the young ones, broodpatron?” A concerned dracon asked.

“There will be an equal number of males and females on this journey, as well as a number of children. Sadly, not all of them will be brought. In order to further add to our illusion of a last stand, some children will have to be left behind here. We can only hope that the black dracons display mercy to them, but that is an unlikely outcome.”

The broodsiblings were still confiding in each other. If the elders found them like this, they would be reprimanded, so they tried to bring themselves together. Standing up was easy, but stopping the crying and pulling away from the hug was the hard part. This was likely to be the last time they’d ever hug.

Rax made one last announcement before leaving his spot. “Our last remnant leaves in one day, our enemy arrives in two. Make your amends now, for this will be your last chance.”

The dracons dispersed and the ones not listed prepared for the coming battle. Those who were destined to make the journey rested or spoke with their friends or fellow broodmates for the last time. There was some doubt in the minds of all of them. There was a chance of the black dracons finding them, despite their efforts. Despite it all, they had to try.

Lox and Vex walked together, unable to say anything. They came back to their designated sleeping area and just sat. Looking at each other invoked too much emotion, so they avoided it as much as possible. Even looking at Vex’s manky foot was enough to trigger memories in Lox. He felt a second wave of crying approaching.

“Can’t you come with me?” Lox muttered.

As much as Vex wanted to say yes, she knew that wasn’t an option. “This is the way it has to be…” She finally mustered the strength to look him in the eyes. “They’re going to check if all the correct members are present. There’s just no way for me to sneak in.”

“Can’t you just run? Who’s going to stop you if you desert?”

Vex just sighed and palmed her face. “Do you know how many people are thinking the exact same thing? I just.. can’t.”

Deep down, Lox knew there was no other choice. He drooped his head into his hands, covering his emotional state. They may have clashed plenty of times, but he never wished her gone. He wasn’t sure if he even wanted to leave anymore.

“I guess you should get ready, huh?” He managed to mutter. “Cover up our escape? Give our people a chance to live again?”

“Lox, I… I just want to have as much time with you before it all comes to an end. We’ve never really gotten to know each other as siblings or even just friends. Like honestly, truly gotten to know each other.” She grabbed his hand, “Have I ever told you about how much I’ve wanted to travel?”

Lox shook his head. She brought him over and pointed out of the window.

“That mountain range in the distance? The Sky’s End Mountains? I’ve always wanted to climb it. Wouldn’t you have loved to join me?”

Her brother finally managed a smile, “Y-yeah, that could’ve been fun.”

“Can you imagine? Lox and Vex: dracon explorers! Traveling the world in search of mysteries, just you and me. We’d battle creatures, find treasures, discover the world. Together.”

Lox had to wipe away another tear, “Y-yeah… If only things were different…”

She brought him close and nuzzled his snout, “I’m telling you all this, because I want you to take that with you in your new life. I want you to do what I never could’ve done.” She gave him a familial kiss on the cheek. “I want you to do the things I never got a chance to.”

The mix of emotions Lox felt caused him to laugh and cry, “I’ll try, sis. If not the Sky’s End, then any other mountain. It’ll be our first discovery. I’ll plant a flag there and everything.”

“Whatever we find, it’s ours to conquer, broodbrother. And I’ll be there by your side in spirit every step of the way.” She nuzzled him once again, getting even closer. They embraced one another, feeling their resonance. “Thank you, Lox. I’ll die happy knowing you’ll carry on my legacy.”

They came back to their sleeping area and sat, now a bit happier than when they got here. Vex rummaged through her rucksack and pulled out a red crystal trinket on a silver chain. 

“I want you to have this, Lox. It’s my lucky charm. I always bring it to battle.” She handed it to him, “Now, I want you to have it. Maybe it’ll bring you luck in the new world.”

Lox’s trembling hand grasped the charm by the chain. He dangled it in front of his face and gazed into the blood-red crystal attached. Each polygonal face shined off the ambient light, highlighting each side. Lox could feel some kind of energy radiating off of it.

“Thank you, Vex. I’ll keep it safe.” Lox placed it snug into his pocket, making sure it wouldn’t fall out.

“Even if it doesn’t bring you luck, it’ll be a reminder of me. I truly will be with you everywhere you go.” She patted him on the arm reassuringly. “Guess I should get my stuff ready. I’ll fight in your name tomorrow.”

“Yeah, you do that.”

Vex got up and headed toward the armory. She was stopped by her brother before she could leave, “Hey,”

“Hmm?”

“Thanks. Thank you.”

She smiled reassuringly and nodded. One last look over her shoulder and she was gone. Lox flopped onto his bed and stared at the stone ceiling. There was nothing more to say. He still felt a sense of loss and she hadn’t even left for good yet. Once he fell asleep, he’d wake the next morning and see his sister for the last time. One last hello, one last goodbye. He didn’t want to do it. Another tear ran down his face at those thoughts.

He pulled out her good luck charm and gazed into it.  _ ‘Always be with you.’  _ He recounted her words.  _ ‘Always....’  _ The crystal looked pristine at first glance, but as he stared at it, he saw various flaws and scratches all over it, no doubt from being taken in combat. She dodged so many blows in her time, he witnessed it personally. Maybe this charm really did have some lucky qualities to it.

Lox knew there was a long journey ahead of him and as much as he wanted to put it off, he knew staying up and moping wouldn’t help. He grabbed the thin covers and laid down, thinking of the happy moments he had with Vex; it wasn’t all sibling rivalry with her. 

He remembered the time they were but hatchlings and they sat by the river, throwing rocks and disturbing the fishes. Such a simple activity, but they both couldn’t stop giggling at how the fish swam away from the splashing stones. They were so young back then.

Lox’s tears of sadness turned to tears of joy as he recounted more memories from their past life. First magic manifestation. First successful teleport. First perfect recitement of the vow. He was even there for her transition to a blood dracon. 

He saw with his own eyes as her black scales bleached away, becoming bone white. They both knew this was a forbidden ritual, but they felt as though this was the next step in their kind’s evolution. Little did they know about the repercussions that’d follow.

Lox continued reminiscing as he drifted off to sleep. He snuggled up with his blanket and closed his eyes. Breathe in, breathe out.


	12. At the End of It All

#  Chapter Twelve - At the End of It All

Lox awoke to another dracon poking at him, trying to awake him. The long-bearded dragon had a large walking stick and he used it to jab at Lox’s thigh.

“You’re destined to make the journey. Come on, we’re leaving.”

Lox hopped out and did a big stretch, his yawn unleashing a big cloud of red mist. He tied his dracomage robes together and grabbed his satchel, not having many possessions to carry. His hand dug into his pocket to feel the crystal charm was still safe. He sighed in relief.

One last look around the sleeping den; there was no one else left. It was foreboding in a way. He knew that everyone who slept here was destined to die in the last stand or make the ambitious journey going nowhere. He broke out of the pensive thoughts and made his way to where the others were gathered.

He joined up with his kin, meeting up with the travel group. Their party was noticeably smaller than the rest, only consisting of about forty dracons in total. Rax and the elders stood on the same rock, overlooking everyone. They were equipped for battle, dressed in plated armor or intricate mage robes. It seemed even the elders would join in this last stand.

“I sense that everyone is gathered,” Rax announced, sending out broodmaster signals to his children and getting their attention. “These brave dracons will travel across this desert with the hope of preserving our brood. The rest of us will stay and fight until the bitter end. There will be no second chances, no mercy. We will show them the might of the blood dracons so that we will not be forgotten.”

All of them cheered, roaring out in fury and excitement. Lox managed to find Vex and stood by her side. She looked determined and ready to take on anything, but she took a moment to smile at her brother. Lox was starting to feel the emotions coming up, but he tried to keep himself composed.

“For now, it is time to bid our farewells to those who will see to it that our line won’t die today. Through them, we will live on. Forever.”

Lox thought he was ready for this. He thought it wouldn’t be difficult to say goodbye. He tried to stay strong, but the sight of his sister’s genuine smile broke him. She may not have had much reason to smile at him during their entire life, but she wanted to make up for that now. Through instinct, they came together, squeezing tightly and letting their tears flow.

“Vex…”

“I know, Lox. I know this is it.”

“I-I just…”

“I wished we had more time together, you and me. I really do.”

“I was never grateful for you, up until this moment…” Lox said through his sniffles, “But you never really know what you have... until it’s taken away…”

“Lox… you never told me what your dream is. I wanted to travel the world, but what’s yours?”

Lox thought for a moment, wracking his mind for an answer. “I… I don’t know. I’ve never really thought that far ahead...”

“That’s you all over. Always in the present, heh.” She chuckled through her sobs and nuzzled him. “Whatever you do in life, I’ll be proud of you. I don’t know what it is, but I know it’s something you’ll be passionate about. Something you’ll put your heart and soul into.”

“Y-Yeah…”

Their tears ruined their relatively clean outfits, though they were already stained with red smears. They knew they were a broken mess right now, but they didn’t care. No broodmaster or even an elder could tell them to stop. This bond, in this moment, was unbreakable.

They heard Rax say something about it being time and the dracons prepared to move out. Lox brought her even closer in the hug, digging his claws into her back. Vex’s arm wrapped around him the same, as they both wanted to make their very last hug count.

“Goodbye, Vex. I love you...”

“I love you too, Lox. I hope you live a prosperous life. Make me proud, brother.”

“I-I’ll miss you so much…”

“Hey, just remember the charm. Whenever you feel lonely... just look into it and know I’m there with you. I’ll never leave you, Lox. Never.”

Finally, they released, giving each other one last sincere smile. Lox tried to return it, but his emotions were building up again. It was too much and he grabbed her in his arms again, making no attempts to hide his bawling.

“I don’t want to go!! Please! Let her come with me!!”

“I know... I know... but you have to. Please, do it for me. Make me proud, Lox.”

Slowly, he released the hug. The siblings shared one last smile with each other. He looked to the travel group and saw them beckoning him to follow. Lox looked to his broodsister for the last time.

“I love you…”

“I’ll always be with you. Always.” Her tear-soaked face managed a sincere smile and she waved him goodbye. “Goodbye Lox. Thanks for being my broodbrother.”

“I’ll always remember you…” 

With that, the last remnant of the blood dracons set out, hoping to preserve their lineage for the rest of time. Rax rallied the army and the dracons army roared a cry of support.

Lox tried to compose himself, but his tears just kept coming. He decided to stay at the back of the group to allow himself some space. No one bothered him, as some were in the same emotional state as he was. He grasped the lucky charm, keeping it close to his heart.  _ ‘Always…’  _ Lox echoed her statement and repeated it to himself as he walked along. Everything was going to be okay, so long as Vex was here with him. He calmed himself by taking great sighs in between.

Breathe in, breathe out.

The chapter came to a close and the dracons sat and thought about the events of the past. Qyx was pensive and he stared into space, thinking about what he’d learned. Fyx skimmed through the forbidden history lesson again.

“Fascinating, such an important point in time, hidden away by the black dracons. History is written by the victor, after all.” Fyx continued to ponder to himself, “Do you suppose those dracons are still out there? Living a life of isolation and solitude?”

Qyx finally spoke up, “They could be. Maybe… maybe they could take me in. Maybe that’s where I belong in this world.”

“It’s probably the one place safe from the rest of the world, I’d imagine. But where is it? I’ve never heard of ‘The Journey Plains‘.”

Qyx exhaled and stared at one word on the page. One word that he knew, the word that’d give them the answer.

“I think I know…” He trembled.

“Hmm? Tell me.”

The blood dracon nervously pointed to one phrase, his shaking unintentionally tapping the words for emphasis. ‘Sky’s End Mountains’

“Sky’s End Mountains? Why…yes. Yes, that’d make sense…”

“W-What is it?”

“That desert... it can only be... the Plains of Extinction. The black dracons must’ve renamed it after their victory.” 

“So we’re going there then?”

Fyx wrote down the name in his journal, “Looks like it. Passed the Sky’s End to the Plains of Extinction, that is our journey.” 

He put this book away and looked to the white dragon, who was still visibly nervous. He was staring into space and no longer had his signature scowl, replaced with a look of foreboding.

“Qyx? Is there something the matter?”

“Y-Yeah?”

“What?”

Qyx exhaled deeply, “The Sky’s End… that’s…” He looked at the scholar, “That’s where my original brood is.”


	13. Morning in Daxmyriax

#  Chapter Thirteen - Morning in Daxmyriax

The white scale sat on a table, eating his breakfast. Normally, he wouldn’t be up this early, but he was. The combination of last night’s nightmare and insomnia had him awake at daybreak. With nothing else to do, he came down to the foyer and ordered an early bird breakfast to take his mind off things. He was the only one down here, aside from the innkeepers.

The dragon ate a breakfast burrito filled with fresh eggs, tender ham, a special sauce, and little red gems serving as a spicy surprise within. On the side, he drank a Hollowford Sweet Tea; it wasn’t healthy, but it appealed to his dragon sweet tooth. He scoffed the burrito down with impunity, making a small mess on the plate, but no one was around to judge him. 

Despite it all, he still tried to suppress last night’s dream from his mind. It was horrible, reliving those events. Now it seems he’d have to do it all over again when they reached the Sky’s End. He couldn’t do that again; he  _ can’t _ do that again. He palmed his face in pensive thought.

A female dracon walked by, holding a dracon-sized egg. She was visibly distressed and moved with haste, not regarding anybody and out the front door into the cool morning air. Qyx thought about his old family again, thinking about how they must’ve been looking forward to this new broodmember, only to see white scales and despair. What a disappointment he must’ve been. He fears what happened to his birth parents. He doubts the broodmaster was compassionate.

Once again, he shook himself out of those thoughts with a sigh and bite of his breakfast. Twenty-four years since his exile and he still hasn’t gotten over it. Would be twenty-five in a couple of days. Dracons didn’t usually celebrate birthdays, but Qyx grew accustomed to the idea after discovering the human culture surrounding it. It certainly made him feel special, even for a day.

His blue-scaled counterpart came down the stairs, “Qyx? What are you doing up so early?”

“Oh, hey, Fyx. I was just... thinking. To myself.”

Fyx joined him at the table, seating himself across and stealing a stray piece of egg off of his plate. “So you have. What about?”

“Uh… just, stuff. Mostly about what we talked about last night.”

“Yes, after we read that book, you went quiet. You fear going there, don’t you?”

Qyx nodded silently. He mulled over his breakfast, “You can’t just go back after exile. You just don’t. No one ever has.”

“But we’re not going to your old brood. We’re just passing by.”

“Passing by their territory. Passing  _ through _ their territory. They’d kill me if I showed my face again.”

The blue dracomage sighed; he couldn’t disagree with that. They had no choice but to go through that area if they wanted to reach the Plains of Extinction. He sat back in his chair and pondered, looking out the window at the post-rain morning. Qyx ate more of his burrito and gulped his sweet tea.

“In the end, this is all about you, Qyx. We don’t have to go there if you don’t want to.”

“I just want to feel like I belong. My kind were never meant to exist;  _ I’m  _ not supposed to exist. I feel like finding these dracons, whether they exist or not, would give me some sense of closure.”

Fyx nodded as he spoke, listening to each word. “If you’re truly serious about this journey, we need to prepare. Daxmyriax should have the things we need. We should shop around.”

“But what about you, Fyx? Don’t you have to get home soon?”

He shook his head and smiled, “Don’t worry about that. I’m frequently gone for days or even months at a time. It’s no big deal, especially if it means being by your side the whole way.”

“Yeah, guess that’s a plus.”

The frost dracon chuckled, “Good to hear. Now, I’m going to have some breakfast. You can look around the town and we’ll meet at the rally beacon, okay?”

Qyx ate the last of his hearty burrito in a single bite. He got up and started to leave, “I’ll see what I can do.”

The air was cold and crisp at this altitude, but also moist from last night’s rain. A white fog permeated through the town, making it hard to see too far. Regardless, the morning dracons went about their business, which such a mundane life Qyx never got to experience. Since building space was so limited on the mountain, all the buildings were multistory with ladders or stairs to ascend. Or just teleport, which most of the residents did, forgoing the aforementioned options.

Qyx arrived at some kind of market quarter, with most of the shops stacked on top of one another. Since business was slow, most of the owners were preoccupied or not even present, relying on a service bell to get their attention. He found a survival gear shop selling the things they’d need.

The dracon teleported up to the store and peeked in the stall. Backpacks, grappling hooks, tents, canteens; this place was well stocked. The sign on a brass bell said ‘Ring for Service’, so he did just that. Qyx sighed in defeat as he saw just who ran the establishment.

“Hey! I remember you! Here for a good bargain? You’ll get it here!” Mox flourished his arms and presented his shop.

“Ugh.” The blood dracon grumbled to himself. He had hoped they’d leave before encountering this annoyance again, but alas. “I'm getting supplies for a very long trip. I need a tent and a big bag to hold it all in.”

“Ahhh!” Mox wiggled his fingers and pulled a large leather sack down from where it was hanging. He dumped it on the counter in a big thump and patted it. “This tent'll work anywhere, rain or shine. It’s also completely fireproof in case you travel with a fire dracon with allergies!”

“Hmm, and it’s big enough for two dracons?”

“Well, of course, I got one sized for you and your lover.” Mox giggled.

Qyx huffed a number of red particles, nearly giving away his alignment as he glared daggers at the cyan dragon. He wasn’t one for killing, but that comment nearly caused Qyx to be the second blood dracon to cause an incident with Myx. He took a breath and disregarded that comment.

“Right, so how much is it?”

“Hey! It’ll be 170 gilded.”

The white scale peeked into his pouch and handed over the amount, grimacing at the price but he knew it’d be worth it.

“Hey! Take care now!” Mox waved cheerily and took the coins.

Qyx hoisted the bag over, finding it far lighter than it looked. He also decided to visit a weapon shop to buy a whetstone. He was surprised to find such a shop among a town full of purely magic users. Afterwards, he made his way to the rally beacon at the end of town, finding his companion already waiting there. 

“Ooh, looks like you got us something alright.”

He set the bag down, “Yep, it’s pretty heavy duty. Weather-resistant and elemental-resistant, at least to fire.”

“Always good to be prepared. Hey, what else you got there?” Fyx pointed at the stone brick.

“Whetstone. I need to sharpen my sword before we go, so I’m going to do that now.” Qyx took a seat on a nearby rock bench and began to hone his blade.

Fyx joined him. “Have you always used a sword as a substitute for magic?”

“Pretty much. I refuse to use my powers unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

“Ashamed?”

“I’m sure you can guess.”

“Hmhmm. So where did you make the purchase?”

Qyx stopped and showed the weapon, “Oh, this? This one’s stolen. Came off a raided weapons cart in the middle of nowhere.”

“You? You raided someone’s wares?”

“What? Oh, no, no I didn’t. I came by long after the bandits had left. I just found one they neglected to steal. Had it ever since. If, by chance, I ever meet the original shop owner, I’ll pay them.”

Fyx smiled, “How noble. Is it your first sword?”

“Nah. I had others but they ended up lost or broken. Speaking of…” Qyx flashed his newly sharpened sword in the air. “Ahh, looking good. I’ve had to do this a couple times in my life.”

“Indeed it does. Oh! Before we go, Myx wanted to speak to us before leaving.” Fyx looked over, “Ah, here she is now.”

If Myx had long hair, it’d be blowing in the light breeze. For now, her scraggly short hair was of no nuisance. “Fyx, Qyx, I see you’re leaving our brood now.”

Fyx nodded, “Yes, we have places to be. We appreciated your hospitality, Myxalatitas.”

“Yes, I’m glad things went the way they did.” She looked to Qyx for a moment before darting back. “Qyx, I apologize if I came off as rude last night. I can see you have a good heart under your… affinity.”

Qyx shrugged, “Yeah, it’s fine. I’m just glad you didn’t try to kill me.”

Myx pressed her lips and became quiet. She quickly composed herself and waved goodbye.”Anyway. Clear skies to you both, farewell.”

Fyx waved, “You too, Myxalatitas! Perhaps we’ll meet again! I’d love to set up an interview.”

“We’ll see. Farewell.”

After saying goodbye, the two dracons were off. She waved as they walked away down the mountain pass and into the fog. 


	14. Into the Wetlands

#  Chapter Fourteen - Into the Wetlands

It was hard to see what was ahead in all this fog. The dragons treaded carefully, lest they step onto a slippery slope. The rocky landscape was nothing to behold, at least not until the fog cleared up. Lighting still struck in the distance; the bolts could be discerned in the foggy clouds, lighting up faintly.

Qyx bundled himself up in his coat, throwing the hood over his head and crossing his arms tight. His blue companion smiled at this endearing display. Fyx’s affinity meant he couldn’t feel a thing in this temperature.

“Cold, Qyx?”

“Yeah, obviously. I’m jealous you’re immune to it. Maybe I should've been born to a frost brood.”

“Indeed. I’m so comfortable, I could even walk bare in this environment.”

The blood dragon shook his head rapidly, “Err, nope, no, you don’t need to do that. Thank you.” Qyx decided to change the subject, “Sure is a long way down.” 

“It would seem so. Glad there’s no hostile creatures this high up. Only some eagles and hawks making their nests up here.”

The white dracon shook his head, “Ugh, don’t remind me of having to fight birds. Hate getting harassed by them.”

“They usually only attack if you mess with their nests or eggs.”

“Well, that’s exactly what I did once, but I just mean in general!”

“Then you have nothing to fear! You could even have one perched on your horn if you’re quiet and patient enough.”

As if on cue, a yellow-feathered hawk dove down in between them, screeching all the way. It flew up and away again, landing on a branch overlooking the path.

Qyx dusted himself off, picking out a feather, “See?? Annoying.”

“That’s just the bird letting you know you’re in its territory, it means no harm, so long as you don’t mess with it.”

“Hmph, I’ll fry that thing in a red tendril.” He glared at the hawk and it stared back with little black eyes, “Don’t tempt me.”

The hawk cawed and ruffled its feathers, but made no attack. Once the dragons went far enough from the branch, it took flight and landed on the next one ahead. The dracon shook his head at it disapprovingly.

The fog was finally starting to clear up and they could finally see further down the path. This gave them the confidence to hasten their speed, hoping to get off this mountain in reasonable time. The clouds clearing did give them a nicer view of the vista, with the jagged mountains creating a unique landscape. The lightning hadn’t stopped, however. It seemed to manifest out of thin air and electrocute whatever stood tallest. Many trees on this path were burnt and singed because of that weather phenomenon.

It was this distraction that caused Fyx to step on a loose part of the path, causing it to crumble beneath him. He and the rocks slid down suddenly and Fyx came down with it.

“Woah!”

“Fyx!”

The blue dragon managed to hang onto the side with his arms, dangling over the edge. Looking down, it was a long fall into a very treacherous ravine. The rocks that fell echoed as they made contact with the floor.

“Hold on, I got you.” Qyx grabbed Fyx’s arm and hoisted him up.

“That was way too close, thank you.” He dusted himself off and straightened out his dracomage robes.

Qyx shook his head, “This place is way too unsafe. I can see why hardly anyone comes up here.”

“Yes. Most people just take a boat down the river to the south. Perhaps the difficulty of this path is another reason broodmatron Myx took her clan up here.”

“Well, it looks like it’s not far until we’re out. I can see the rest of the path from here.” Qyx pointed down and noted the winding road that’d lead them out.

“Let’s be careful as we come down, stick to the solid ground.” Fyx advised.

After an uneventful trip down the mountain, they reached the wetlands at the bottom. Bog puddles littered the area and large willow trees hung overhead. Small insect swarms buzzed around the place, though these were nothing to the bugs in Burning Hive Pass. Little amphibians or reptiles skittered across the path or up trees, feasting on the numerous pests flying around.

Qyx disapproved of this environment, “Gross. This place sucks.”

“Wouldn’t you have had to pass here when you were exiled?” Fyx swatted a fly.

“Nope. After I got kicked out, I went north and took a boat across the Sungaze Sea. Wandered around the Skyweather area for a while before I just, well, wandered some more.”

“I see. It seems I so happened to catch you while you were in Shireville.”

“Pretty much. It’s like the sky fated it.” Qyx watched as a chameleon caught a fly right out of the air.

“Didn’t take you for the religious type. Did you learn about it while in Skyweather?”

Qyx shook his head, “Nah, I just use it in vain like a lot of other people.”

“Say, where were you when the Lines came true?” Fyx inquired.

“Erm, I think I was taking a nap during all that, at least the exciting bits. I didn’t even know it happened until a day later.”

“Interesting. So you could’ve gone to sleep and never woken up the next morning.”

“Eesh. Don’t make me think about that.”

They continued through the wetlands, swatting gnats or avoiding parts of the path that had sunk. A heaven for any nox-aligned creature or individual, but unbearable for most others. Some fallen-over trees blocked parts of the path but were easily circumvented with a short-range teleport.

A faint cry for help brought them to a halt. It was distant, but they heard it for a brief moment. They looked to each other, wordlessly asking the other what that was. It sounded like it came from just past the fork in the road, to the right. They waited for another cry, but only the deafening silence remained. 

“What was that? Who was that?” Qyx questioned.

“It sounds like someone’s in trouble, we should investigate.”

“I dunno, we could be getting ourselves into something we don't want a part of.” He drew his sword regardless, growing paranoid of the surrounding area.

“It wouldn’t feel right to me to just leave, we’re going to take a look.” Fyx walked off, not waiting for his partner to follow. Qyx sighed and caught up to him.

As they walked down the path, the cries of agony grew louder and more distinct. Qyx gripped his sword tightly, keeping a wary eye on the surroundings; even the murky waters could be hiding something below the surface. The bugs that once pestered him were now relegated to a minor annoyance, they were the least of his worries.

That’s when they saw it, a grisly scene lay just ahead. Corpses of many beasts and men lay in bloodied mud. The source of the crying was revealed to be a single man lying down in the dirt, recoiling from some kind of pain. His belongings were scattered across the mud, many gilded and items grew filthy in the soil. He looked to the dracons from under his disheveled hair and waved them over.

“Hey! Help! I need some help!”

Fyx rushed to his side, “Hold on, let me see.”

While Qyx stood guard, he looked over the man’s injuries. He was cut up and bleeding, though it wasn’t too bad. An inspection of the leg he was grasping revealed no apparent signs of it being broken, even though he gasped in pain when it was touched.

“This must’ve been some kind of magic attack. I don’t see many signs of physical harm.”

“Yeah, yeah, it was dracomages. A bunch of ‘em came and robbed me and my friends!” He seared in pain as Fyx inspected his leg, the other leg he wasn’t holding earlier.

“And what type were they? What color scales did they have?”

“Uhh, a lot of them, like blue ones and white ones and green ones.” A preliminary analysis showed no signs of frostbite, nox poisoning, or any other forms of magical harm.

“There’s a lot of blood on and around you, but you’ve only been cut superficially.”

“Yeah, that was from when we fought the dragons.”

Fyx shook his head. He stood back up and glared at him, “You’re fine. Get up.”

The man gestured to him to come back down again, “No, my leg is broken! See, look, I just can’t use it!” He moved it in a rigid way.

Suddenly, Fyx grabbed him by the shoulders and stood him up. He was taken by surprise and looked the dragon in the eye. His legs weakly toppled over and he was in the mud again.

“Why didn’t you use your other leg?” Fyx asked coldly.

“Because they’re both broken!”

“That’s not what you said earlier.” Fyx pressed his foot against the alleged other broken leg. 

“Not going to help me?”

“You’re lying.”

The man looked to the ground. He chuckled to himself, “Not going to make this easy, huh?”

All around them, the corpses began to stand up. Mud-covered men and beasts stood up and drew weapons hidden under their bodies. These men were alive. Alive and pretending to be dead so they could ambush unwary travelers. They surrounded the protagonists, eyeing their every move and pointing their blades.

The man unsheathed two hidden daggers, “Almost had you there. If you would’ve come down, I woulda stuck these right in your throat!” He cackled.

Qyx threatened them with his sword, “You’re going to regret this. You don’t know who you’re dealing with.”

“Please, I’ve killed your kind before, it’s easy. Just use whatever magic they hate the most. Like this!” The hidden runes on his outfit lit up and he conjured a red bolt of fire energy, hitting Fyx head-on. 

“No!” Without thinking, Qyx conjured an unstable cloud of red energy, smacking the man down.

All the men attacked at once, taking on both dracons. A sneaky kobold jumped onto Qyx and clasped his limbs around him. As much as he struggled, he couldn’t get the barmit off. He bit the kobold’s arms, freeing him but not before a sword came and slashed him right on the back.

Fyx recovered from the fiery attack heaved a breath of frost at some of the attackers. The men who were caught were slowed down and ensnared. They dropped their weapons after succumbing to frostbite.

A bolt of nox smacked Fyx on the side and he saw a green drakeling producing spells. Struggling to muster the focus, he managed to teleport to the lizard’s location and deliver a great exhalation of ice directly to their face. The drakeling scree’d and ran in fear, not wanting to confront a dracon directly.

Qyx was struggling to conjure any magic and his sword was far out of reach. He backed up more and bumped into Fyx who had just defeated the drakeling. 

“Help me out!”

The frost dragon summoned a short wall of ice to slow down the encroaching rogues. Some tripped over from the sudden barrier and fell into the filthy mud. Qyx punched them while they were down, ensuring they wouldn’t be getting up any time soon.

Only three attackers stood before them, waiting for their chance to strike. The sneaky kobold from earlier, still bleeding from the bite, did a sudden jump and dashed past the dragons. He attempted to double spike their shins and would’ve crippled them if it wasn’t for quick reflexes. Fyx grabbed the kobold’s arm and focused his magic there, causing frostbite to take hold around his hand. With shivering cold taking over, the fox dropped his knives and retreated into the swamp.

A lizard and human stood as the last attackers but looked around at all the carnage that took place before them. They looked to each other and turned to run, leaving a trail of loose gildeds behind. The dracons made no effort to chase them, figuring they knew not to mess with them again.

Qyx sighed in relief and retrieved his sword from the dirt, slinging the mud off in a dramatic swoop. He looked over the unconscious bodies, almost just like how it looked when they first came here. He kicked a knocked-out wolfman lightly, just to make sure he was out cold.

Fyx came to his side, “Not too late to execute them if we want to make sure nothing like this happens again.”

Qyx was taken aback, “Woah, that’s dark.”

“It would be the most altruistic thing to do in the grand scheme of things.”

“Yeah, but–”

Before they could say another word, Fyx was struck by a ball of fire on the back. His element-resistant robe prevented any serious damage, but it still hurt due to his fire vulnerability. He turned to see the once “crippled” man making a hasty escape. Fyx scowled and grew quiet. He stared ahead and walked after him. 

“Fyx? Where’re you going?”

The man looked behind and tripped on one of the many stray logs on the path. He landed face-first in the mud and turned to see Fyx teleporting in front of him a look of cold rancor. He tried to get up but the wet soil caused him to slip again.

“Woah, hey now! You don’t have to do this! I won’t do anything like that ever again, I promise!” He pleaded, throwing a hand up to stop the dracon.

Fyx was unmoved. In one swift motion, he stomped on the man’s leg, snapping it in two. The sound of the crack was distinct, like a large branch breaking in half. He cried in pain, but not the fake ones earlier. Real, genuine cries of agony. He clutched his broken limb and convulsed.

“Stop!! Please! I’ll go and I promise I’ll never rob anyone again! Please!” He begged.

“Liar.”

He delivered another stomp, driving it further into the mud and decimating his tibia. Another crack and another scream echoed in the swamp. If any of the other attackers were still in the area, they definitely would’ve heard it. In desperation, he attempted to conjure a fire spell and the runes on his outfit glowed. Fyx picked up one of the daggers he dropped in the retreat and slashed his outfit, cutting the runic symbols and disrupting the magic flow. He threw the knife into the bog and finally stepped back. 

Fyx dug through his bag quietly and pulled out a bottle of yellow fluid. The label read ‘Animal Lure - use conservatively’. He smashed the bottle on the broken man and let the liquid soak into him. It smelled revolting and sickened the senses, far worse than any nox creature could ever do. The man gagged and coughed, trying to waft away the stench. After watching him on the ground a moment longer, Fyx walked away, knowing that with no weapons and a completely broken leg, he wouldn’t make it out of the mire alive.

Qyx gawked in horror. He watched Fyx nonchalantly walk back without a word. 

“Let’s go, Qyx. Leave him.” Fyx demande flatly.

The white scale shook his head, “You didn’t have to do that! He was going to run away!”

Fyx grabbed him by the collar, “And then what? Recover and get another posse so he can do this all over again? The world’s a better place without people like him.” He roughly released his grasp and walked away.

Qyx looked back to see the man still convulsing on the ground. Deciding it was best to move on, he left him to his fate. 

They walked in silence for a long while, not wanting to be the one to break the ice. Fyx stared ahead contemplatively. He had a pensive scowl on his face, clearly debating things in his head. Qyx let him be. He figured he’d speak up when he was ready. Not much to talk about in the swamp, especially after that. 

Qyx was still thinking about that man and about his fate. He never expected his friend to do something like that. He was usually so calm and collected, even in combat. Something must’ve ticked inside his head to make him do that, Qyx just didn’t know what exactly. Regardless, he didn’t speak a word or argue.

Up ahead, a small village sat on the bank of the river. The climate was nicer there, relatively speaking. It was a more temperate area of this swamp. Qyx was relieved at the chance at respite and even Fyx smiled at the sight. A nearby sign read ‘Almeya’ with shells decorating it.

Fyx considered it, “Almeya, what language is that again…?” He stroked his chin.

His question was answered by a small troop of the village’s denizens coming out to greet them presumably. They scurried on all fours, their slim bodies making a seamless transition to the quadruped form. Their plump tails waggled above, making for impromptu flags.

Fyx smiled, “Ah, otterfolk.”


	15. Where the Water Kobolds Live

#  Chapter Fifteen - Where the Water Kobolds Live

The leader stood up to a not-so-impressive height of three feet and waved. “Hello travelers! Welcome to our humble town!”

The other otters smiled and waved to the new visitors.

“Uh, hi.” Qyx said.

Fyx waved, “Pleasure to meet you all, shall we proceed?”

“Oh yes, come along now. You’re our guests.” He and the other otters lead them back to town, some going back on all fours. 

Qyx gave Fyx a  _ ‘what even?’  _ face and a shrug, to which the blue dracon simply smiled, “Otterfolk are the most social race in the world. New visitors are always cause for celebration.”

“Guess I’m just not used to feeling welcome or wanted. I suppose that’s why I like the human concept of birthdays, a day to make you feel special.”

Fyx giggled, “Aww, that’s adorable. You like that tradition?” 

“Yeah, I do. I like the idea of a day dedicated to ‘you’.” Qyx scratched the back of his neck nervously. “It’s a bit weird, I know.”

“Well, we can celebrate it, if you desire. Just let me know the day.”

“Nah, you don’t need to worry about that. It’s just for me, really.”

“Hmhmm, we’ll see, my white-scaled companion.” He hummed.

The welcoming party brought them to town, upon which it was discovered all the buildings were comically small in proportion to the dracons; they could easily climb on top of one if they desired. Everything looked like it was made from the hulls of ships or barges. The wood was aged and had remnants of barnacles on the sides. The whole village had a distinctive nautical theme, with nets, flags, and shells decorating the place. Numerous barrels of fish sat around, some in stores, some near the fishing docks.

As demonstrated earlier, the otters preferred to scuttle on all fours in their day-to-day, only going bipedal if the situation called for it. Their backpacks were perfectly suited to this lifestyle, able to keep things in place no matter their posture. The mothers carried their young on their backs in specialized carriers, keeping their children secure during travel. 

“Oh hi there!”

Fyx’s observation was interrupted by a stout otter with blue-tinted hair atop his head, a rarity among this species. He peered up at him through his little spectacles as his red scarf blew in the breeze.

Fyx did a little wave, “Ah, hello there. Who are you?”

“I’m Fren, Fren the otter. I’ve never seen a dragon before!” He looked at him with fascination and interest.

“Never? Not even a drakeling or lizardfolk?” Fyx inquired.

“Well I’ve seen them, but never a real dragon before. You’re cool. Really cool. Maybe even cute?”

“I’m flattered. Oh, and it’s  _ dracon _ , just for your information.”

“Oh. Can I hug you?” Fren said, sticking his tongue out in a quirky manner.

“If you desire, though I don’t suppose you’ll get any higher than my thigh.” He held his leg out to allow the otter to grasp it.

Fren latched on tightly, hoping to make this count. He rubbed the scales and felt the texture. 

Once he let go, he clasped his hands together and smiled, “Thank you. Aaaahh.” He mushed his hands on his face, squishing it in pure gush and infatuation.

“You’re welcome. Now, do you know where a species our size can find a place to rest?”

“Oh, yes, the south side of town was made for bigger people. All the things there are  _ big. _ ”

“Thanks. It was nice meeting you.” Fyx waved as he and his companion left.

“Aaaahh!” Fren made the same noise again and scurried away on four paws.

Qyx wasn’t sure what to make of the otter, “Well that was random.”

“Some people really haven’t seen dracons before. A lot of our people prefer to live among their own broods. Some are wary of our presence, still believing in the now-defunct Lines or fearing the power we bring.”

Crossing a bridge over the Great Zonure River, they reached the side of town with more appropriately-sized buildings. The architecture still had the nautical theme, but the ships the structures were made from must’ve been frigates or corvettes. This side was segregated from the swamp, situated in the middle of the river on a small island. Otters still ran about, but the other species co-existed amongst them, going about their business or passing through.

The dragons took a seat overlooking the flowing river and looked over the map.

“Let’s see, we’re here in Almeya. Villeleau Verte is only a couple hours’ walk from here. We can stay there for the night and continue on.” Fyx traced his finger on the map as he spoke.

Qyx agreed, “I’d rather be out of the swamp today, so this sounds good.”

An unknown voice spoke from behind them, “Wait, you said Villeleau Verte…” They turned around to see a shaggy otter staring at them in distress and worry.

“Yes, we’re going there, what’s wrong with that?” Fyx questioned.

The otter shook his head frantically, “You can’t go there, no one can go there. Things have been happening; it’s a curse.”

“A curse? What kind?”

“People being overcome with… something. No one in Almeya is allowed to go there and we’ve built a bulwark to block anyone from entering… or leaving.” He explained.

Fyx stroked his chin, puzzled. He glanced to the map and back to the otter several times. He looked to his companion, who was just as bewildered as him.

Qyx shrugged, “What’re we going to do?”

With a sigh, Fyx shook his head, “Villeleau Verte is the gateway out of the swamp. There’s no other way around it.”

“Whatever you two do, please, by the sky’s name,” The otter pleaded, “Don’t bring whatever’s there,  _ back here _ .”

With that ominous message, he scampered away. The dracons sat for a while, watching the river flow. Otterfolk on the other side tossed nets or fished in the water, hoping to get a bounty of seafood. Fyx studied the map, thinking about their next move.

“I’m ready to go when you are.” Qyx said.

“We should stay the night here and leave tomorrow. If what he’s saying is true, I’d rather not be stuck in the swamp or a ‘cursed’ town late at night.”

“Alright, yeah, that sounds smart. Where’re we staying?”

Fyx looked around at the establishments and saw a seafood restaurant/inn. “‘The Fishstick’ looks nice. Let’s try them out.”

Entering the inn, their nostrils were greeted with the alluring smell of freshly cooked fish and seafood. The place was alive with a diverse number of species, all sitting at tables and feasting on their meals. It was hard to even think with all the bustle of friends conversing and the sounds of laughter. Otter waiters scurried about with the food in hand, even darting under tables if they could fit and not disturb the patrons. A small band of kobolds and otters performed on stage, banging on bongos or playing shell-based instruments. 

Qyx sniffed the air, “Wow, smells amazing. We gotta get something here.”

“I concur. This place is infatuating. I can arrange our accommodations if you can get us a table.”

“With pleasure.”

Qyx looked for a host’s podium or someone to speak to, but there was none. He turned to see a sign with a sketched drawing of a jolly otter waiter with it reading: ‘Seat Yourself!”. He tried to look for any open spots, but this place was packed. Luckily, his height allowed him to locate a vacant table on the opposite side and made his way there.

The more fishy dishes Qyx passed by, the more his appetite grew. Gumbo, clam chowder, shrimp cocktails, grilled salmon; he wanted it all and probably could if his pockets were deep enough. They say the way to a dracon’s heart is through their stomach and sure enough, Qyx’s opinion of the otterfolk was going up by the minute. He licked his lips in anticipation. 

He sat down and looked at the extensive menu. So many options. Filets, sandwiches, steaks, soups, all made tempting choices. 

A pretty female otter with a clamshell in her hair came by, “Hello there! Heard there were some dracons in town. How are you this evening?”

“I’m doing well, my dear, thank you.” Qyx greeted. 

“What would you like to drink? Our wine selection is on the back.”

“Nothing alcoholic for me, thanks. I’ll just have a Redberry Lemonade. My friend will have a Dragon’s Mint Tea.”

“I’ll have it out! And welcome to Almeya!” She scuttled off.

Fyx came by and took his spot across the table, grabbing his own menu and perusing the options.

“Fyx. I don’t know what to choose.”

“I can see what you mean. It seems the water kobolds got the seafood market cornered.”

Qyx looked up, “”Water kobold?””

The blue dragon nodded, “Yes, that’s a nickname for the otterfolk. Since they are small, numerous, and come from the same area of the world as kobolds, people like to call them ‘water kobolds’.”

“Huh. So long as they aren’t as prone to thievery as kobolds, I’m fine with it.”

Fyx kicked back and relaxed, “Has the waiter been by?”

“Yeah, I got a lemonade and I got you one of those Dragon Mint teas.”

The blue dragon smiled, “Aww, you got that for me? I don’t know how well mint goes with seafood, but it’s the thought that counts.”

The waitress returned with their drinks, “Have you decided what you’d like to order?”

Qyx pointed to the menu, “I think I’ll try the fish tacos.”

“That’s an otter specialty! And for you?”

“Uh… I’ll have the same, my dear. Hold anything spicy, please.”

“Alrighty, I’ll be back with your food!” She said cheerily.

Qyx took a long drink of his lemonade. He had been thirsting ever since they left the mountain. His canteen was filled with nothing but warm water that did little to satisfy him. This cold beverage was a sky send after a day like today. The sweetness appealed to his sweet tooth, causing him to savor every drop.

“So what day is your birthday?” Fyx asked.

“Oh, well, I figured it’d be more of a hatchday, since we come from eggs and all. It’s a couple days from now.”

“What kind of traditions did you want to do? Gift giving? A feast?”

“I don’t know. I usually just get myself something nice. Last year I got a cheap gem necklace. It was mostly so I could eat it.”

“Hmhmm…” Fyx hummed, thinking to himself.

“You don’t have to do anything, to be honest. It’s just something for me more than anything.” Qyx disclaimed before taking another gulp of his drink. “When’s your hatchday?”

“Sometime in the winter, appropriately. We can celebrate that if you want.” 

Fyx took a moment to drink his blue-tinted tea. His right sleeve slid down some, revealing distorted pink flesh on Fyx’s otherwise blue hand. Qyx had seen this before, but was afraid to ask about just what was wrong with them. The damage wasn’t cripplingly bad, but it was still disturbing to look at for an extended period of time.

“Fyx, uh, so…”

The blue dragon raised an eyebrow, “Hmm? What is it?” 

“May I ask what happened to you, with your hands?” Qyx rubbed his own hand for emphasis.

“Oh yes, I’m surprised you hadn’t asked sooner.” Fyx rolled both his sleeves up to reveal the damage was worse around the wrists but went no further than the forearm. “These are my scars, my chemical burn scars to be specific. One day I was handling a volatile cache of Saeler’s Wash, a concoction of acidic chemicals formed into a cleansing potion.” 

“And you got some on yourself, huh?”

“Me, being young and inexperienced, poured a very high amount of the chemical onto the crystalline formations I intended to examine. Where I was supposed to use a small amount to cleanse the rocks into a clean and easy-to-study state, I used way too much. It reacted with the crystal compounds and burst into a violent explosion of flesh-burning acid, engulfing my hands in searing pain!”

“Ouch, that sounds awful!”

“It sure did, even after getting it treated, I could hardly move my fingers without a spike of pain! Today however, it’s just a part of me.”

“Yeah, I’ve got a couple scars too, but we can talk about that later, looks like our food’s here.”

The waitress returned with the plates of seafood tacos still sizzling. She set them down with a smile, “Here you go, enjoy!”

“Thank you, my dear.” The dracons both said simultaneously. 

Qyx bite into his soft fish taco, tasting the hearty cod on his tongue. A hint of lime gave the fish an extra zest that, although initially unexpected, added to the flavor tremendously. A sprinkling of Kotiya cheese, a dash of paprika, shredded lettuce, the perfect formation of ingredients to make this a delectable meal. The special mild sauce sealed the deal for Qyx, tying it all together perfectly. For his first foray into fish tacos, this was most definitely a great place to start.

“This is amazing. Why was I not aware of this before?”

“Have you never had a taco before?” Fyx chewed on his taco as well.

“Well, of course I have. It’s one dish kobolds are known for, but I’ve never tried authentic fish tacos before.”

“I passed through another otterfolk town, Nutrina, during my tenure with Enath and we had some of the seafood there. That was years ago of course and I haven’t had good otterfolk cooking since.”

“Enath?”

“Oh, that’s Professor Greenwing’s first name, I know him by that. Professor Enath Greenwing.”

“Guess that’s two friends you know the full names of.”

“It sure is, Qyxidalatos.” Fyx teased.

Qyx rolled his eyes and finished the last of his food. After paying their bill, they went to the upper floor and entered their inn room. Fyx flopped onto his bed, becoming lazy and flat-like and dug his head into the pillow. Qyx opted to sit back on his bed and put his arms back, resting his eyes. 

“So I guess we’re going to Villeleau Verte tomorrow.” Qyx turned over to look at his blue-scaled friend.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine. Maybe some superstition? If not, we can always sneak our way through.”

Qyx chuckled, “Hah, a dracon rogue, don’t see those too often. You’d think there’d be more with our teleportation power.”

“As unfortunate as it is, we usually get what we want due to our status as elemental vessels. No need to steal when the other species are so willing to surrender whatever we want to us.”

“A gift or a curse? A question for the ages.” 

“I do hope to shed more positive light on our species with my studies.” Fyx perused his notebook, “Whether it’s the stigma against the subelementals or hybrids, or the fear of the power of dracons, I want to help. As scary as The Gathering was, it did help diminish the black dracon stigma after.”

“I don’t think there’s anything you can do with my kind though. The scars run too deep in society. Whether it’s other dracons or the other species, we were never meant to exist.”

“Hmm...” Fyx hummed to himself.

“Anyway, I’m going to sleep, see you in the morning, my friend.” Qyx blew out his candlelight and went under the covers.

“Good night, Qyx.” Fyx snuffed out his flame with a dash of ice and burrowed himself in blanket.


	16. Curse of Green

#  Chapter Sixteen - Curse of Green

They were on the road rather late the next day; Qyx insisted on sleeping in that morning. It gave Fyx time to think to himself while sitting on a bench overlooking the river. He thought about what they’d encounter in Villeleau Verte, what mysteries to uncover, or if there were any mysteries at all. Considering the bulwark wall blocking passage in or out, it must’ve been something worth hiding.

It was hard getting the otters to let them pass the wall. A series of bluffs and usage of big intellectual words convinced them that Fyx and Qyx were there to investigate and possibly resolve the matter. If possible, he’d want to, but they had a goal in mind and couldn’t stay for long. 

The air was warm, more so than what could be expected for the region. Swamp air was already humid, but this was an uncomfortable level of musk. A tempting location for wallowing, if it wasn’t for a particular foulness to the area. The smell of nox filled the air as they journeyed through the bog. A green haze permeated throughout the marsh, tinting the already green landscape further. Fyx had been to swamps before, but this level was not normal.

They were brought to a halt by a mysterious pile of… something on the side of the road. The dracons looked at each other and stared at it. It just sat there, motionless. It looked like something organic, living, but didn’t move, didn’t breathe. Fyx stepped closer to take a look.

It was revealed to be a human body, wearing a backpack. The explanation for the odd silhouette gave Fyx a sigh of relief as he knelt down to examine it. It was dead for sure. This man looked to have died recently, given how fresh the body looked. Fyx turned the body over and jumped back in shock. He gasped loudly enough to spook Qyx, who jumped as well.

The man had several organic growths on his chest and face. Yellow, pus-filled boils throbbed on him, on the brink of bursting. His veins were a dark green and his skin was bruised all over in purple and red. Some of the boils had evidently already popped, given the nasty, empty sockets of flesh dotted on the body and the yellow stains around the area. The man’s eyes were stuck open, the pupils glazed over, and the sclera was red and bloodshot. Vomit and saliva stains stuck to his mouth, as well as dried blood dribbles coming down from the temples. Fyx had seen some disgusting stuff in his life, but this nearly caused him to vomit.

“O-oh, oh my…”

Qyx had a weaker stomach and threw up on the side path without care. He could hardly bear to even think about what he’d seen. He crossed his arms and looked away in traumatic shock.

“What… what happened to him?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Qyx turned suddenly in realization, “He’s not... he’s not contagious, is he?”

Fyx dropped the body and backed away quickly, “I’m not taking any chances. We need to keep moving, get out of here.”

They ran down the path, trying to forget what had happened. Their running turned to walking as they calmed and caught their breath. A signpost for Villeleau Verte was up ahead; they hoped to pass by quickly and be out of this swamp before today.

The stilt houses of Villeleau Verte stood in the distance and the wall surrounding the town stood strong. That would be cause for celebration if it wasn’t for the thick clouds of green surrounding the town, even thicker than the one they were in. The front gate was torn down and it was clear this place was in no welcoming shape. More bodies lay strewn about the entrance area, they both prayed they didn’t have the same conditions the previous one did.

“Fyx… should we even go in there? This is not good, not good at all.”

The blue dracon sighed, “It’s the only way out of the swamp. Not unless you want to hoof it through the marsh, where we’d end up ensnared in the sticky mud or drown in green bog water.”

“Right, alright. Let’s just get through here as quickly as possible, run if we have to.”

“Agreed.”

They entered the forsaken town, stepping over the bodies of humans and beasts alike. They all had the same yellow growths on them, much to both dragon’s revulsion. They held their stomachs in, resisting the urge to vomit. The village was desolate, not a soul in sight. Except for the idle buzzing of insects, the place was eerily quiet. The dracons moved quickly; if this place wasn’t as abandoned as it looked, they didn’t want to wait to see who stuck around.

This town was a maze of bridges, stilt houses, shacks, and planks. Luckily, human engineering built this place to code, so they needn’t worry about this place collapsing. At the town center, they saw more corpses piled up in the town square. Ditches were dug to put the bodies in, but seem to have been abandoned halfway. Out in the open air, the victims were left to rot.

Fyx started taking note, literally and figuratively, of the corpses present. Humans mostly, but kobolds, wolves, cats, some otters too. However, there was one species not present: reptiles. No drakelings, no lizardfolk, no dracons. He pondered this fact, thinking about why that’d be.

Their attempts to move were stopped by the presence of a man standing at the end of a bridge. He was too far into the green fog to make out his details, but he seemed slouched and limp. The only way forward was across this bridge, so they had no choice but to press on if they wanted to escape this vile village. Fyx took a breath and took his first steps.

The board creaked under the pressure, catching the attention of the stranger. He turned and stared at them through the fog. He struggled to maintain his posture as both parties waited for the other to move. The figure took a hobbled step forward, nearly collapsing under his own weight. He wobbled his arms trying to keep his balance and took another step. He continued like this until he was just close enough to make out his details.

His breathing was wet and snorted like he was suffering from a congested throat. He was covered in the boils; they covered his face completely and hid most evidence of him once being a human. His gangly arm reached out, but he was simply too weak. His attempts at speech were inhibited by stridor, only able to form one word:

“Help…”

The man collapsed onto the bridge, knocking a loose plank out and falling into the green waters below. With a large splash, he sunk to the bottom of the bog, leaving the dracons to stare in awe.

Without a word, they ran across the bridge. They didn’t even want to think about what just happened; the possibility that people are still  _ alive _ when they get those boils brought a shudder down their backs. They avoided more dead bodies, all had the same disgusting growths on them. Those dead in the middle of the street were hopped over without a second thought, merely obstacles to avoid in getting out of this place.

Just as they thought they’d be out, they found more houses. More mazes to navigate out of this awful place. With no clear direction, they stopped and looked around frantically.

“For sky’s sake, how do we get out of here!?” Qyx grumbled.

“Wait, there!” Fyx pointed to a white arrow painted on the side of a house. “Could this be the way?”

“Well, we got nothing better to go by, let’s try it.”

They followed the series of white arrows through town. They did not lead them to the exit, but to a large lodge in an isolated part of town. The place was built atop a hill and had a large A-frame style construction. The statue of a dragon head stood on the top of the roof, enticing travelers in.

Qyx shook his head, “Wha-, a lodge? This isn’t the way out.”

“Well, if those arrows were leading us here, there must be something that might help. We should investigate.” Fyx started towards it, disregarding his partner’s objections.

The area outside the lodge was eerily quiet, keeping the dracons on guard. They came upon the large door, carved with images of wild animals. The doors were locked, so they knocked and waited. 

They didn’t expect anyone to answer but were surprised to see the face of a human female peek out. Her eyes widened as she saw the dracons and she gasped.

“D-dracons?! Here? What… What’re you doin’ here? Get out!” She attempted to shut the door in their face.

Fyx pressed his hand against the doo, “Now, calm down my dear, we’re not here to hurt you. We just need some help.”

“‘Help’, yeah, that’s funny. I’m sure you and your friends are the ones responsible for all this. Like you need help, you’re immune!”

Fyx stopped at that revelation. His mouth was agape as he stopped what words he was going to say next and took in this information. He looked to his hand with new interest, the hand that touched the first body. Immune? Just what was going on here?

“This lodge is for humans and beasts only. Now beat it!” She tried slamming the door but Fyx pushed it open.

“Wait just a minute, my dear. We’re not from around here; we just got here not twenty minutes ago. You need to explain what’s going on here.”

She rolled her eyes, “Couple days ago, a green fog started coming in from the north. We thought it was beautiful, we swampfolk love our land. Little did we know it was an omen. People started gettin’ sick. Coughin’, pukin’, that sorta thing. Horrible, nasty things started growing on them, it was… awful. Now, we’re afraid to leave our homes, scared of catchin’ the ‘Green Curse’.”

“A curse, coming from this green fog?”

“Yeah. All the while, the lizardfolk don’t seem to be catchin’ the sickness. We can’t trust ‘em, so we don’t let them in. Now, is that all you wanted to hear?”

Fyx nodded, “Yes, I suppose that’ll be all, my dear.”

The woman slammed the door quickly and locked it tight. The dragons were left to walk away and speculate.

“Well, at least we won’t die here.” Qyx said.

“I suppose that’s correct. However, something tells me there’s more to this fog that meets the eye.”

Qyx squinted at his partner, “We’re not going to stay here and investigate, are we?”

“No. We need to leave as soon as possible. I’ll contact the scholar’s society as soon as we get back and get some proper help.”

“Good. I’d hate to stay in this swamp another minute.”

They continued on through the infected village, moving quickly through the maze-like stilt houses. The moss grew upon the wood, an infestation in and of itself, though this was the least of the swampfolk’s concerns. Fyx swore he could hear murmurs and whispers off and out of sight, but he paid them no mind. Qyx had his sword at the ready, gripping it tight and keeping alert.

Finally, they arrived at the exit gate, salvation at last. The big wooden gate was the last thing standing between them and freedom from this diseased place. Normally, they’d be worried about opening the passage, but a simple teleport would be all they needed.

Suddenly, Qyx was grabbed from behind, “Aahh!”

“Stop. Don’t leave.” Said the perpetrator.

Fyx turned and saw a group of lizards and drakelings gathered, having come out of the nearby buildings.

“Let him go or else I will be forced to attack!” Fyx shouted, his hands becoming icy.

“Please, we need help. Don’t go!” The teal lizard begged.

Fyx raised a brow but didn’t dissipate his spell, “Who are you? Do you live here?”

“Yes, we scalefolk have gathered here in search of refuge. The humans and the beasts don’t trust us, so we have to stick together.”

“Do you know why our kind are immune to the disease?” Fyx finally dismissed his magic.

“We do not know. We are victims of this curse just like anybody else. All we know is the fog came from the north and brought with it disease and illness.”

Fyx stroked his chin, “Perhaps we should investigate it. Perhaps there’s an origin where this all came from.”

“We just want all this to end.”

“Very well. My friend and I will take it upon ourselves to investigate this curse.”

The lizard let Qyx go, “Thank you. Thank you for putting your lives on the line to help us.”

Qyx whispered in Fyx’s ear, “Are we really doing this? This is really dangerous!”

“These people need help now and we’re the only ones who are capable of potentially putting a stop to this. Besides, it seems we’re obligated to, now that those lizards found us.”

“But what about your society? Weren’t we going to get help from them?”

Fyx sighed, “The Scholar’s Society is more than a week’s travel from here. I’d love to leave this up to a more prepared team and be on our way, but that’s not an option.”

Qyx rolled his eyes and grumbled.

The lizards invited them into the structure they were staying in. Inside, it was revealed to be a converted inn, with tables and chairs placed aside for cots and beds.

Qyx looked around, “An inn. Why do we always find ourselves at inns? I don’t suppose this one’s a restaurant or tavern too, huh?” A quick look at the bar counter confirmed his theory.

“It’s better than living in a blacksmithery.” Fyx said as he took a seat and got out the map. He traced a finger from Villeleau Verte to potential locations.

The blood dracon joined him, “So, we’re going north.”

“Yes, I’m just looking at the map. It seems this whole swamp forms a watershed, with a cave network at the top. That seems to be the most logical place for this fog to come from.”

Qyx crossed his arm, “Great, I just love trudging through swamps.”


	17. The Pestilence

#  Chapter Seventeen - The Pestilence

Several hours later, the dragons were off to investigate up north. They had prepared themselves and were given supplies to aid them. The lizards gave it all for free with the hope that it would be used to make this place safe again. Provisions, sky-based potions, first aid, hopefully they wouldn’t need to use any of it.

More stray corpses lay on the path. Bodies of humans and other beasts lay rotting, boils pulsating with pus and fluids. Despite seeing the diseased growths many times, it still caused them to gag at the sight. Fyx only hoped the scalefolk immunity was true and not some speculation; this disease could just work slower within the reptilian body.

A flimsy shack sat off to the side next to a dock. Inside, a light was on and could be seen through the window. Fyx figured they could investigate and possibly get more help or info out in this hostile swamp. The wood creaked under their feet and threatened to send both of them into the warm green waters below. A porch chair lay idle outside, inviting the dracons to come and sit.

Fyx knocked on the door lightly and heard groggy noises within. Shuffled footsteps struggled to make their way to the door. The door jiggled, as if the owner didn’t know how doors work. Slowly, it opened with a loud creak.

To both their horror, a diseased kobold answered. His once light brown fur was now saturated with red and purple bruising; his face looked as though it had been beaten for hours. Small yellow blisters grew along his veiny neck, just beginning to emerge from their fleshy prison. The kobold looked to them through his clouded, bloodshot eyes, his pupils now a sickly pale red color.

“What…. What are you doin’ here?” He said through a gurgled, saliva-filled mouth.

“We are here to potentially stop this disease. Do you know anything about the surrounding area?”

The kobold dry-heaved and coughed, “Yeah, I’ve lived here for a long time, I ain’t never seen anything like this. This swamp may be nasty, but it’s never outright tried to kill us, at least, never like this.”

“I’m beginning to suspect this disease is based in magic. I can barely sense the presence of nox energy, more than what’s normal for this place.”

“Well, if you wanna know a little somethin’,” He gagged and coughed up a wad of bloody mucus. “I saw some things goin’ down. A lot of guys moving things up the road, I’m guessin’ to the caves.”

“Men? Describe them.”

“Well, ladies too, but they all had these green markings on their outfits and a symbol, something like a pointed shape with a skull and bones on it. All the beasts I saw were green, I assume they all had some nox magic in them.”

Fyx wrote this down in great detail, “Interesting. Did you ever meet one of them?”

“...N-no. I never.”

“Are you sure? We need as much information as possible.”

The kobold wiped his nose, which had started leaking blood, “Well… there was this dragon guy, real tall, he was a nasty piece of work. I was sittin’ out on my dock when he came to me. He was green, had some kind of skull paint on his face, and some kind of scars on his face.” The beast waited and took a breath before speaking, “He came to me, he stared at me and said  _ ‘If you know what’s good for you, little kobold, you will not investigate our activities. I know how your people are, I am warning you to stay out.’ _ And just walked away.”

“Had you been looking into what they’d been doing?”

“No! I just sat outside my porch, I guess he didn’t like me watchin’, so I just stayed inside when they came around.”

“Is there anything else about this dracon you noticed?”

“Well, he carried some kind of staff, had a skull on the top of it, and a whole bunch of other boney things. He had a green cloud around him and his green and black robes were worn like he’d never gotten them washed in his life.”

Fyx finished his notes and closed the book, “Thank you, you’ve been very helpful. I hope we can resolve this situation.”

The kobold coughed loudly, “Yeah, sure thing. My name’s Rehk, by the way. I keep an eye out on these swamps. But now… it looks like I might not last much longer.” Rehk felt the boils growing out of his neck and winced at the pain.

“If there’s a cure, we’ll find it. For now, we must go. Thank you, Rehk.”

The kobold closed the door, still coughing inside. The dragons left the place and continued on the swampy path. A light rain had started, making the environment even more wet and musky. Qyx put his hood up to protect himself from the weather.

“So, a dracon, huh?” Qyx commented.

Fyx nodded, “Yes, it would seem like a green dracon is responsible for all this, he and his underlings.”

“Man, and I thought the weird smell was bad enough about the nox ones.” Qyx shook off some of the rain, “I don’t hate any dracons, but I really don’t prefer to be around those guys, not unless they use those herbs.

“I’ve heard some people really hate nox dracons; they seek to execute them with projectiles, blades, or even fire.”

Qyx was taken aback, “What?! I mean, I can see why someone wouldn’t want to be near them for too long, but starting a whole crusade over them? Unbelievable.”

“Tales told by crazy pink drakelings, just what I’ve heard. Sadly, that hate might be justified here, if that kobold told us the truth. Regardless, we mustn’t let this incident affect our perception of the nox-aligned.”

“Yeah, nothing worse than being judged for something you can’t control.”

The cave was just ahead, lying within the trees, surrounded by green water. The fog was getting thick; they could barely see what was ahead. The smell was absolutely repugnant; if the horrifying bodies were unable to cause them to throw up, this certainly would. The air was extremely moist, an uncomfortable level, like a terrarium for a feral lizard. The bog water was higher here and started trickling on the dirt path. Luckily, some planks served as a road to travel on.

Suddenly, they stopped in their tracks. Humans, beasts, all wearing the same outfit, were lying dead in front of a cave. The same symbol the kobold described was emblazoned on their armor and banners. It was revealed to be some kind of a play on the universal symbol for nox, except a more sinister form with a skull and spikes surrounding it. All of them were suffering from the disease before their demise; they all grew vile yellow boils upon their bodies and their veins were green. Blood coated them on their faces, hands, and bodies.

Fyx turned over the corpse of a swordsman; his bloodshot eyes stared blankly ahead. “What happened here?”

The white dragon avoided staring for too long, “I don’t know. It doesn’t look good, we should get out of here.”

“We’re almost there, maybe we can put a stop to it.”

He grabbed his friend by the arm, “Fyx, we’re getting ourselves into something we shouldn’t. This all just screams bad news; we need to get out before we get too far in.”

Fyx looked around the entrance. Banners with that same symbol stood waving in the noxious breeze. An ominous amount of skulls were piled up around the settlement, growing moss. In this fog, you couldn’t see anything further than a couple of meters. On the ground, a mysterious, yellow liquid trickled out from the cave, seeping into the mud and bog waters. Fyx massaged his scalp in thought.

“We’re already too far in. We need to finish what we started. You are either with me or against me.” 

Without a second thought, Fyx walked right into the cave. Qyx tried to stop him with words of his own, but he found himself unable to conjure anything persuasive. He shook his head and followed his friend into the deep, dank cave.

Water dripped from the ceiling and landed in small puddles on the rock floor. The smell hadn’t gone away. In fact, it seemed stronger than ever in the confined space of the cave network. Qyx threatened to vomit out of sheer disgust for this odor but managed to hold his stomach in. A large number of bats, spiders, and other small creatures were found dead and crumpled on the ground, clearly having succumbed to the plague. 

Just then, they could hear the sounds of voices. Little bits of chatter and small talk, just down the way in the cave. Even though it was quiet, they were unable to distinguish what exactly they were talking about. The dragon stepped lightly so as to not alert anyone of their presence.

Around the corner, they found it, the heart of this cave. There, several lizards sat around a room filled with potions, experiments, and alchemy setups. A large cauldron sat in the middle, festering with the same yellow liquid seen before. Some lizards worked on potions, others bided their time and sat around. Drakelings idly conjured green orbs or worked on experiments.

The dragons didn’t move from their hiding place above and watched. Fyx was afraid to get his journal out, lest the sounds of turning pages be heard in this quiet cave.

Just then, a green dracon came out of a tunnel and entered the room and all the lizards paid attention to his presence. A green cloud followed in his wake, dropping the flies that followed dead on the ground. The left side of his face was scarred with pink, distorted flesh. Over it all was a skull design painted in white and covering his entire face and snout. A small toothpick hung out of his mouth as he watched his underlings work.

“We’ve been waiting too long. What is the progress,  _ moulux campatuer _ ?” He spoke in a deep, trebled voice.

A lizard female wearing similar skull paint came up, “Kex, the beasts and humans are resilient. Our scouts report there are numerous ones still alive and in hiding.”

Kex shook his head, “ _ Maure de fluor. _ Have our alchemists work faster. Our beastly comrades are already dead, we may as well work to increase the mortality rate.  _ De j’for. _ ”

Qyx hid behind a set of stalagmites, “What language is that?”

Fyx wracked his mind trying to think, “Sounds like Morfluersian, something only spoken in the Fluersia lands. It’s not that common, you hardly see it outside that region.”

The green dracon walked up to the alchemists and watched them work. They used nox magic, poured liquids, mixed concoctions diligently under his gaze. Some potions produced that same green fog, but on a smaller level; others exploded into a puff of gas and smoke.

“What are we going to do?” Qyx asked quietly.

“We have to continue watching, wait for an opportunity.” 

Fyx peeked over and saw Kex taking a new dark green liquid and swishing it around a glass vial. He opened the cork and took a sniff, finding it sufficient.

“This. This has potential. I sense a powerful presence of nox within. Do we have any test subjects?” Kex inquired.

The skull-painted female nodded, “No sapient ones, but we have some rats.”

“It will have to do. Bring one forth.”

She ran off and returned with an unpainted jar. The lizard opened the top and released a curious grey rat out into the blood-spotted cage. Kex poured the liquid into a small dish and placed it carefully. The rodent ran over and eagerly drank, licking it up eagerly. 

Suddenly, the rat stopped. It skittered around the enclosure, distressed and unsettled. It keeled over and twitched its little legs, looking around for a way out. Those same yellow boils started to grow on the rodent’s body, throbbing and pulsating. It coughed and vomited, all while desperately looking for a way out. Suddenly, the rodent keeled over, kicking its legs in seizure. What life was left in the rat faded away as it twitched several more times and died.

Kex stroked his ragged chin, “Impressive. A gestation rate of only five minutes. The previous was four hours in other rat-based testing; I predict a sapient gestation rate will be about four to seven hours, up from twelve to eighteen.”

His lizard underling nodded, “And the lethality rate. The rat died mere minutes after contact, imagine how quickly the disease will kill in larger beings.”

“This is a huge improvement, well done. Karaliss, have the others replicate it.”

“Right away, Kex.” She said and commanded the other lizards and drakes.

Qyx’s eyes widened at the whole scene as he hid below. Fyx sat close to him and speculated.

“That disease, it seems they’ve upgraded it.” Fyx whispered.

“Yeah, you think, doc? We can’t stay here. We might be immune, but they’ll probably kill us if we stick around.”

Fyx shook his head, “He’ll kill hundreds, if not thousands. I doubt Villeleau Verte is his last stop. We need to do something.”

“Yeah? And what’s your plan to take them all down? That guy looks powerful, way too much nox in him.”

“If someone is so aligned in one form of magic, they must have a vulnerability in another. In this case, sky would be the obvious choice.”

“Well, it’s a shame none of us are sky dracons.”

“Yes, but there’s another form of magic that he’d not expect.  _ Yours. _ ”

Qyx glared at the blue dracon and Fyx stared back. They sat there for a good while, gazing into each other’s eyes. The blood dracon finally broke eye contact and looked to the ground.

“I can’t. I don’t want to use it.”

Fyx grabbed his shoulder lightly, “You’re the only one who can stop this. There isn’t a single sky being, let alone dracon, within a kilometer of this swamp. If you want to save this place, these people, you need to use it.”

“I… I don’t–” He was interrupted by a discussion below.

“Kex, may I speak freely?” Karaliss said.

The skull-painted dracon looked to her with his bright yellow eyes, “You may.”

“If our new plague is far more lethal, then we don’t need to spend as much time making more. We can add a sample of it to our blight posts to amplify them.”

Kex scratched his black scraggly beard and stroked the skull ornaments on his whiskers, “Yes, yes that would be effective. Very well. Let’s take what we have and move. I’m eager to end this battle of attrition."

The white and blue dracon left quickly and quietly out of the cave. They emerged out into the slightly less musty swamp and caught their breaths. The dragons went around the corner in case Kex’s party left soon after. Qyx leaned and slid down a tree, sitting in the dirt.

“He’s going to kill everyone. Everyone except the lizards. What’s his goal?” Qyx asked aloud.

Fyx leaned against a tree and pondered. “I’m not certain. What we can do, however, is work to foil his plans. We need to find those ‘blight posts’ and dismantle them. Perhaps then we will have a chance at undoing all this.”

“Well, not like I have a better plan. Let’s go.”

They found a marker of some kind, a series of orange torches that presumably lead the way to the blight posts. With nothing else to go off of, they followed the trail deep into the bog.


	18. One Hundred Percent Mortality Rate

#  Chapter Eighteen - One Hundred Percent Mortality Rate

The smell of rot filled the air as they drew close to where the fog was thickest. Slow, methodical steps were required in order to not step off the makeshift wooden planks that formed the path. The air was rancid and moist, creating a most vile breathing experience. Qyx had to use his clothes as a makeshift mouth cover just to have some cleaner air, but it did little to help.

There, planted in a clearing, was a large torch burning a green flame. That same disgusting green fog was coming out from the top. Those nox-skull banners were waving around in the musty wind, signaling their allegiance to Kex. Around there, more dead, infested human corpses lay dead, clearly having been assigned guarding this post before the plague overtook them.

“Why are there so many dead humans and beasts?” Qyx asked with his sleeve covering his snout. “Why would he make a disease that kills his own men?”

“Maybe he didn’t expect the plague to be so powerful. Maybe this is all a big accident.” Fyx knelt and studied a body. “Maybe he doesn’t care.”

“Well, that torch is going down. Let’s destroy it.” Qyx kicked at it to no avail.

“Looks too deep in the mud; we can’t knock it over. Qyx, you’ll have to use your abilities to destroy this.”

Qyx looked at the blight tower and ran a hand on its wood. He touched the metal bolts and rings holding it together all the way to the top. Some kind of bands of linen were used as a makeshift repair job, seeing how sloppily applied they appeared to be. Qyx conjured a red orb and considered.

“You sure you can’t just ice the thing?”

“I’d rather we destroy the devices and make sure they can’t be used. I’ll use my ice to contain the fire to prevent it from spreading.”

The blood dracon took a breath and focused his power mentally. His orb became bigger and unstable, pulsating with unknown energy. Crimson tendrils manifested out and wrapped themselves around the torch. As he channeled more power, the tendrils slowly began crushing the wood and metal, causing the structure to tip over. Using his maximum power, his nose bled. The cursed lantern came tumbling down into a giant mess of green fire and wood. Fyx cast a ring of ice to contain and extinguish the fire.

Qyx looked at his work then looked at his hands. He wiped the blood away, “Well, it’s done.”

“Yes, but there’s more out there. I’m guessing they’re strategically placed to efficiently cover Villeleau Verte, so we’ll have to pinpoint their locations.”

Qyx pointed at another series of smaller, normal torches, “Or just follow the road.”

“...Or just follow the road, yes.” Fyx put his map and pen away, slightly disappointed.

After several more minutes of walking, that same vile smell from before engulfed them. A short while away, they saw another blight post, but this one was guarded by some lizards. A tall drakeling stood guard with two other spear-wielding tribals, both painted with bright green body markings.

Wasting no time, Fyx surprise attacked with an ice lance assassination from behind, knocking the beast to the ground instantly. The other two guards jumped into action, with the drakeling casting a torrent of vile green smoke in his direction. The tribal charged, spear in hand, but Qyx slashed the beast’s arm with his sword.

In a sudden rage, the burly lizard swung his spear and knocked the sword out of Qyx’s hand. The drakeling conjured an orb of noxious energy and hurled it toward the now vulnerable Qyx. Unable to defend, the blood dracon was forced to take a spear jab and vomit-inducing ball of nox at the same time. Luckily, his blue friend stepped in and grabbed the tribal by his neck, freezing it with an icy touch. With his airflow cut off, the lizard was forced to drop his spear and wrestle his Fyx’s frozen hands.

Qyx dove and retrieved his sword, but not before coughing up some fluid from being nox’d. He gripped his blade tight and charged at the drakeling, who backed up desperately while throwing mini orbs of green. It was too late and the caster was knocked in the head with the hilt of Qyx’s sword, knocking her to the ground.

Fyx was still in combat with the tribal, who managed to break free of the dracomage’s grasp. Though his neck was still cold, he managed to fight through it and hurled nearby rocks. Qyx came from behind and tried the same sword hilt technique, but failed due to the burly lizard’s thick skull. He grabbed the blood dracon by the wrists and wrestled him away.

In that time, Fyx teleported forward and heaved a great breath of ice, engulfing the opponent in frosty air. It wasn’t enough and the lizard still continued its attack, jabbing its spear and barely missing Fyx. The blue dragon scratched his face with his claws, digging deep, bloody scars. The beast roared in pain, opening itself to attack. Fyx took advantage and produced a dozen sharp icicles and hurled them at the tribal, piercing its body multiple times. After one last death rattle, he toppled over and expired.

Both dracons took a moment to rest after the skirmish. Fyx looked at the first tribal, who had a bleeding head injury and lay in the mud. He looked at the other and observed the multiple wounds it suffered. The last drakeling lay unconscious nearby.

“Well, Qyx, looks like there’s one thing left to do.”

“Yeah, just give me a minute. I gotta focus.”

Qyx took a breath and used both hands to conjure red orbs. Both balls of energy transformed into crimson tentacles of unstable blood energy and promptly wrapped around the blight beacon. With one move, he snapped the post in half and used his tendrils to bash the rest of the torch into pieces. Fyx came and promptly blew his breath onto the green flames, negating them.

“Good. Let’s move onto the next blight post.” Fyx said.

“How many more are there? I’m guessing one.”

“Rule of three? Well, if we had done the calculations like  _ I _ wanted, we’d know for sure.”

“Let’s just follow the next… trail?” Qyx looked around but found no more torches to follow. “Hmm.”

“It seems we’ll have to use SCIENCE to figure out where to go!” Fyx cheerily got out his scratchpad and plotted out coordinates using the map. After several minutes of calculations, he finished. “Hah, there. It’s to the east.”

“Let’s get on it. I hope we never see this swamp again.” Qyx said and stopped sharpening his sword. They got up and left in that direction.

After eventually picking up on the path, they managed to make their way to the last blight post. Unfortunately, Kex and several other of his minions had gotten here first. The lead dracon was too busy preparing the plague vial to notice them approaching. His lizards were observing him rather than keeping an eye out. Even his subordinate Karaliss was looking in the opposite direction. The dracon pair hid behind a large rock and stayed down.

“If he pours the new vial into the torch, Villeleau Verte is done for.” Fyx whispered.

Qyx peeked around the corner, “Well there’s only four lizards, including the important girl. I say we take out his little guys then go for him.”

“Qyx.”

“Or maybe we rush him down and ignore the drakelings. They’re weaker, right? Taking down their boss might even demoralize them.”

“Qyxidalatos. There’s only one way of doing this.”

The blood dracon looked to his friend then looked down. “I don’t… I don’t like using my powers to hurt others.”

“Qyx, look at me. If we don’t stop him here and now, a  _ lot _ more people will die. Not just the swamp town, but other places. He’s not going to stop here, I guarantee it. He’ll kill Myx’s brood, the otters, Whisper Wind, Uyxstilix, the list goes on.” Fyx lay a hand on his shoulder, “You have to do this.”

The white scale slumped his shoulders and sighed. “Okay, Fyx, okay. I understand. I’ll… I’ll do it. I’ll use my powers to stop him.”

Fyx smiled and patted him, “Don’t worry, I’ll have your back. Now let’s end this.”

They both hopped around the corner and caught the group off guard. Several drakelings scree’d and readied their spells. Karaliss turned and looked at the new stranger with an expression of contempt and superiority. Kex looked over his shoulder and gazed at them with a burning yellow-eyed stare.

“Kex, it seems we have some guests. Some…  _ heroes _ I’d wager.” The skull-painted lizard chuckled smugly.

Kex turned to look at the duo, “Yes, it would seem our plans would be interrupted by these whelps.”

Fyx pointed accusingly, “Kex! You seek to destroy this humble town of Villeleau Verte! We’re here to stop you.”

Despite his cold look, Kex managed a laugh, “Hah, we’ve been attacked by entire  _ regiments _ and they couldn’t stop me, Kexivelitos.”

Fyx stopped and gasped, “Wait… Kexivelitos? The Skybane?”

The green dracon flashed a sinister smile, “The very same. Most wanted criminal in the three kingdoms and wanted in countless other smaller sovereignties, states, and nations.”

Karaliss cackled, “You wouldn't believe the record he holds. Enough to fill a library.” She caressed him by the side, to which he didn’t pay much mind. “Now you get to say you’ve met him before you died. Lucky you.”

Fyx was stunned and looked to Qyx, who was just as timid. With a series of facial expressions and subtle gestures, he tried to signal him to attack already. The blood dracon sighed to himself.

The villainous dracon used both hands to channel green wisps of nox energy. “ _ Salut arvor. _ You will not be missed.”

“Wait! Can you at least tell us why you’re doing this?!” Fyx begged.

Kex rolled his eyes but didn’t dismiss his magic. “Villeleau Verte is a  _ prime  _ location for pillaging. Of course, the resistance there is far too high, so we devised a plan to eliminate the citizens without a single casualty on our part.”

Karaliss nodded, “A truly flawless plan. We would be rich like kings! Too bad those stupid skinbags just couldn’t die like we wanted. Same for the beastly bastards. We’ve been waiting around for weeks!”

“No casualties, yet I’ve seen so many dead humans and beasts under your command. What gives?” Fyx elbowed Qyx, who was still petrified.

“A necessary sacrifice for my plan. The plague was engineered to not affect scalefolk so that we could pillage without resistance. Of course, we’d have to encounter the remaining lizards, but they would prove no challenge.”

Fyx manifested a great icy orb. “You are a ruthless and immoral individual. Your reign ends here, Kexivelitos.”

Kex’s entire group began conjuring green magic and took up aggressive positions. “A mere ice dracon and hybrid? You two have no chance of stopping me. Now then, if you could please dispose of this trash,  _ moi treux due _ ?”

“ _ Amou freque _ .” His lizards obeyed and attacked at once.

Both dracons jumped into action. Fyx took a series of noxious blows, but dodged the rest with a well-timed teleport. He didn’t go far, but he was close enough to physically push one of the lizards over, disrupting their magic channeling. He summoned a great ice block and smashed the reptile over the head with it, fracturing its skull. 

Qyx teleported just before the nox attack reached him and landed right in front of a very angry-looking lizard mage. The lizard clawed him but the blood dracon opted to punch him in the neck, causing him to choke. Qyx threw his sword high and used the blunt end of the sword to knock him out cold.

Just then, a swarm of insects came at them, summoned by Karaliss to aid the fighters. The bugs were fake, magically-summoned creatures, but they were just as bad as normal insects. They flew around, cutting the dracons up with their razor-sharp bodies, causing them to bleed all over. The other two lizards took this opportunity to hurl nox orbs and further damage them.

Qyx knelt into the ground, overwhelmed by the attacks. He tried to refrain from using it, but at this point, he knew there was no other way. If he continued on like this, he wouldn’t have enough life force tap into and they’d both die. He looked to Fyx, who was using an icy wind to blow the insects away but was being pelted by green magic attacks. Upon sight of his friend being attacked, Qyx grew determined and stood up tall in the razor swarm. An orb of nox hit him in the shoulder, but he ignored it. He ignored the next one and the next one, stepping forward and summoning red energy from his hands.

Karaliss raised an eyebrow at Qyx’s sudden stalwartness; she looked at his red glowing hands and grew attentive. Suddenly, the white dragon threw his hands up and giant crimson columns sprung up from the ground, knocking the lesser casters aside. Already, he bled from his two nostrils as he summoned more crimson power from his hands. He wiped his nose off and marched forward to the skull-painted lizard ahead.

“Kex, this one… he’s something else!” Karaliss stammered as she backed up into the dracon.

Kex turned and studied the white dracon’s form as he marched forth with a determined look on his face. Blood continued leaking out of his nose and started trickling from his forehead and temples. Kex summoned large spikes from the ground and conjured a noxious cloud storm to protect him and Karaliss. Qyx charged forth, firing a shot of crimson and breaking through their green storm.

The projectile hit Kex on the shoulder, causing him to growl and burst in an unforeseen flash of energy. His storm exploded violently, doing much damage to Fyx and Qyx. The blood dracon lashed out and blasted them both with a large, unstable blood orb. Karaliss jumped out the way and summoned more bugs to swarm Qyx, but he heaved a great breath and dropped them dead.

Fyx entered the fight with a shot of ice at Kex’s leg, crippling him for a moment, but it was enough time that he could conjure an ice lance and hurled it toward him. Unfortunately, Kex was too fast and managed to dodge just in time. He leaped forward and brought his skull cane down on Fyx’s head, disrupting the scholar’s mental focus. Kex grabbed Fyx by the throat and squeezed tight, channeling more nox power into his grasp.

Distracted, Qyx didn’t see Fyx was in trouble until he was knocked to the ground by a blast of poison. Quickly, he got to his feet and knocked Kex over into the swamp water. The nox dracon growled fiercely and used the bog water to amplify his counterattack. A beam of nasty swamp water of green energy rushed forth and damaged Qyx’s already bloody face even more. 

The frost dracon caught his breath, but Karaliss ran up and grappled him from behind. She bit his shoulder hard and attempted to twist his arms into an unnatural position. Qyx was quick to jump in and bite the female in return, grabbing her and shoving her into a set of entangled roots.

Fyx recovered and blasted a beam of frost into the pool of water Kex stood in. The water started to freeze, causing the nox dracon to hop out before he was ensnared completely. In vengeance, Kex sent forth an intense breath of pure toxic air towards him. Holding his breath, Fyx teleported out of range and landed next to the now frozen body of water. He used his magic to crack the ice and formed it into piercing icicles, much bigger and effective than the conjured ones. In one quick motion, he shot them towards Kex, managing to hit him three times, but in no vital areas.

Qyx and Karaliss were in a physical brawl in the roots. Each grapple, each punch and shove was an attempt to thrust one of them towards the large, pointed branches. Where the female lizard lacked in strength, she made up for in deceptive tricks and counter-attacks. Qyx attempted to use his blood magic but was met with her disrupting his spellcasting with a swift kick or grab. 

Just then, Karaliss jumped up off a tree trunk and leaped onto Qyx’s head. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, completely engulfing him. She kept him off balance and stumbled him around, hoping that one of his missteps would lead him into a brambled branch. Lucky for her, he did just that and thrusted his spine into a series of sharp spikes.

The blood dracon yelled in pain, trying in vain to get away from the barbed roots. He soon realized the lizard was unable to interrupt his spellcasting, so he channeled his magic behind her back. In a surprise attack, he shot a beam of red energy up her spine, causing her to release her grip and jump off into the mud. She hissed loudly and quickly leaped back into range, but he stopped her with a fist empowered with energy.

Fyx kept dodging Kex’s attacks, but he was soon unmatched for the nox dracomage’s onslaught. He had the advantage of being in a swampy area, giving him resonance and amplifying his powers. He fired another barrage of green orbs, but Fyx was too nimble to hit. 

Just then, the blood dracon came to support and fired off a lance of crimson from the side. It ran right through Kex’s chest, stumbling him and disrupting his focus. He bled through his robes and dripped blood onto the muddy ground. 

“ _ Mor da sondue le pour mor dela fae _ !” Kex growled.

“We're gonna stop you, villain!” Qyx retorted and fired another beam of blood energy.

Kex dodged this attack with a teleport, though he was slowing down. “ _ Lamour due le porus corvour _ ! I will not have my plans thwarted by a pair of lowly dracons! Karaliss! Finish him.”

The female jumped from behind and grappled Qyx, but he was ready this time. He exploded with red energy, sending her flying away and crashing into an unstable tree. The tree broke and came crashing down where she lay, burying her in a pile of spiky branches and sticks.

“No! You dare!?” Kex shouted.

Qyx growled and wiped some of the blood off his face, but it did little to clean him off. Fyx prepared a frost attack and fired it at Kex’s feet, finally ensnaring him. Try as he did, he was stuck in that spot. However, it did not stop him from heaving a great breath of nox at them both, engulfing them completely. While they were distracted, Kex threw the plague vial at the blight post, hoping to complete his task.

The smoke cleared just in time for Fyx to notice this and make a hasty teleport to catch the vial midair. During all this, Kex broke free of his icy prison and put the dracomage into a headlock. He pulled out a large dagger and attempted to plunge it into Fyx’s throat. Fyx resisted, but he couldn’t fight back for long.

“Enough of this. I’ll just have to resort to conventional means to end your life.”

“No!!” Qyx cried out.

Without thinking, he focused his magic in a way he never had before. The most powerful spell he ever cast coursed through his veins and channeled through his mind. Dozens of red tendrils sprouted out of Qyx’s blood orbs and destroyed everything ahead, including the blight post. They wrapped themselves around Kex, but he refused to let go of the dagger. 

The nox dracon growled as he was engulfed by the corrupted magic, but his grip was weakening. His breathing became slower and labored, his eyes lost their ability to perceive color as the world turned to black and white. Finally, he dropped the knife and released Fyx. He grabbed at his throat, trying in vain to take another breath. Slowly, his skin grew rough and fragmented as life perished from his body. With one last vicious scream into the sky, he died keeled over into the mud.

Fyx toppled over and brushed himself off. Qyx gazed at his hands, infatuated with what he had just done. The scholar came over to comfort him and gave him a hug.

“Qyx… thank you. You saved my life.”

“I just… I saw you were in danger; I had to do something.” Qyx massaged his hand, “I don’t know what I did. I’ve never done anything like that. Burning Hive was different, I’ve done things like that before. But I’ve never…”

“What’s different?” Fyx turned around and looked at the pale corpse of Kex.

“It’s like… I sapped his life away. I’ve never seen that before.”

Fyx continued pondering, “Well, maybe it’s-”

“ **KEX!** ” cried Karaliss. She climbed out of the pile of branches and rushed to the dracon’s side. “No… no no no… why?!” Tears filled her eyes as she hugged his lifeless corpse. “Please… no… Kex...”

Fyx put his book away and watched her mourn. Qyx remained speechless. He looked at his literal bloody hands and quivered. The sight of Karaliss crying over him caused his eyes to glisten as he fell to the ground. He muttered to himself, unable to form any real words. Fyx came and lifted him back to his feet.

“We need to go right now. I’ve got the vial, we’ll make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.” He shoved him along as Qyx remained still. “Come on. Let’s. Go.”

“I did it again. For sky’s sake, I did it again. I told myself I wouldn’t.”

“No. You did the right thing. Now come on!” He took him by the hand and forced him to follow. The sounds of Karaliss’s crying echoed in the swamp even as they left the area.

“I did it again…”


	19. Red Blood, Blue Scales

#  Chapter Nineteen - Red Blood, Blue Scales

The dracon pair found themselves on the road again several hours later. Qyx was eager to get a move on. He didn’t say it, but through his silence he certainly implied it. The green fog was already starting to recede and return to normal levels. Sadly, the fog didn’t cure those already infected with the disease. Fyx, before leaving, promised he’d send word to the Scholar’s Society. Indeed, he sent a letter urging them to come and help; it was the best thing he could do. Now, he could only hope they get here before it’s too late. In addition, he sent a letter to his friend Professor Greenwing back in Whisper Wind, hoping he’d be able to provide some preliminary help before the society arrives.

They left out through the gate they originally intended to flee through. The lizards were helping get the town back together, so they operated the gate and let them out. Once across the bridge, they were finally free from the warm, musty air of the swamp. Fyx took a breath of fresh air and grew more comfortable in the cooler atmosphere. Back to the tines and forest they went.

Fyx had refrained from speaking to his silent friend, but he was getting worried. All of his responses up until this point had been gruffs, curt phrases, or just silence altogether. 

He caught up to him, “Hey, Qyxie? Are you okay?”

The dragon in question just gazed at Fyx with a dull, empty expression. The scholar sighed, a distraught expression growing on his face. He racked his mind trying to find something to say to him.

“I can’t help you, Qyx, until I learn what’s bothering you.” He grabbed his arm lighty, “I’m your friend. Please, speak to me.”

“Why?” He finally spoke in a flat tone.

Fyx was taken aback, “Why what?”

“Why did you make me use my curse? On another person?”

The blue dragon sighed and shook his head, “Qyx. Listen to me. If you hadn’t used it, we would’ve died back there. Not just us, but everyone. We were completely outmatched against all those nox bandits. You were our trump card.”

“No. I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about how I… killed Kex.”

Fyx shook his head once again, “You stopped one of the most wanted criminals in history. You should be proud of yourself.”

“No, not that either. After Burning Hive Pass, I promised to myself I would never use my powers to kill another person, no matter how bad they were. When Karaliss ran over to his side crying, I realized what I’d done. I had taken a life. I had broken the promise to myself.”

“I…”

Qyx stopped and pointed at him, “You, Fyxitalitas, you made me do it.”

He stammered, “Qyx, no, I’m sorry. I… I hadn’t realized that...”

“Fyx. You may not have such a big issue killing, but I do. Ever since my hatching I’ve only ever been presumed to be a destructive force of corruption. I don’t want to be that. I refuse to be anything close to that.” Qyx sat on a rock. “Truth is, this isn’t the first time I’ve made and broken that promise to myself.”

Fyx took a seat in front of him and listened. 

“My kind are a myth. A dark legend spoken in the corners of the world. People live their lives without ever knowing that we actually exist.” Qyx looked into his hands. “I’ve had to kill people before to keep my secret. I’m not proud of it. Some of them fight me, trying to put me down. A bloody skirmish takes place, but I always come out on top.” He rubbed his face and took a breath. “I have to stop them. But in doing so, I become the vicious monster they believe me to be. Innocent lives, taken by my hand.”

Qyx slumped forward and stared directly ahead and through Fyx. The scholar contemplated reaching out a comforting hand, but refrained. He just sat and listened.

“You made me do it.” He glared with his beaming red eyes, “You used me as a weapon, Fyx. You convinced me to do it despite my reservations. Now? It’s given me a bigger body count. Thanks to you.”

“But… I… I didn’t know.”

The blood dragon palmed his face and sniffled. “I keep making promises. Promises that’d make me a better person. Why can’t I keep them? Why can’t I live in a place where I don’t have to do that anymore? Why can’t I live where I don’t have to keep breaking my own promises?” 

Fyx scooched close and hugged him compassionately. Qyx, despite his scorn, returned the gesture. His rancor faded as he hugged the dracomage.

“Fyx… you’re the only person I’ve ever known who didn’t run or fight when they found out what I was. You’re the only person in this entire world who’s accepted me. You’re my only friend.”

The frost dracon nodded, “I do, Qyx. I really do. We  _ are _ going to find that place. We’re going to find your people and give you the life you’ve always wanted. You won’t have to break those promises anymore. Never again. I’m going to make sure it happens, no matter the cost.”

“Thank you, Fyx. Thank you.”

Fyx smiled and got up, “Let’s get moving.”

“Yeah.”

As they walked, Fyx looked at the map. There wasn’t much ahead; not many small towns or villages until they reached the Sky’s End. It seemed they’d be on their own in the wilderness until they got there. Fyx sighed in relief they had the foresight to get a tent for this journey. Before he put the paper away, he made a mental note of where they should set up the tent for the night.

The proposed campsite was just around the bend. It was off the main path, so no chance of being disturbed for the night. They made their way down a worn, overgrown dirt trail and came upon a clearing. A small lake was nearby, so at least there was something of a view or a source of food. Nearby, an interesting tree stood on a small hill. Though it was nondescript, Fyx recognized it and went over to investigate.

“Ahh, it’s the Dell Tree.”

Qyx scoffed, “Seems pretty mediocre to me.”

“Mhm. It looks old and damaged, however.”

“Weird. Is that what all those chopping marks are?” Qyx pointed out the signs of damage on the trunk.

Fyx took a closer look, “Yes, though it would seem the reconstruction efforts weren’t in vain. Now it serves as a reminder of our past.”

Placing the large tent bag down, Fyx got out the sticks and tools they’d need to assemble it. He shook out the tough sheets of leather that formed the tent, getting the wrinkles out. Meanwhile, Qyx got to work hammering down the poles that’d prop the shelter up. Tying rope to rope and laying the leather over it all, they thrust the tent spikes into the ground. After checking for stability, they took a step back and admired their work.

Qyx approved, “Looks cozy. Big enough for two as well.”

“Indeed. This’ll be our home for the next few days. We have a long way to go.”

The blood dracon set up some rocks and gathered spare lumber. Using some flammable potions and striking two rocks together, a fire was born. He took a seat on the dirt and warmed himself as the sun set in the background. Fyx, despite being a frost dracon, still felt some comfort in the warm light.

Fyx dug through his bag and got out some food to cook. He stuck some sausage on several spare sticks and singed them over the sizzling stove. Qyx eagerly awaited the warm dogs with baited breath, having not eaten since they got out of Villeleau Verte. The heady aroma was infatuating, enough to induce a kobold into frenzy. Once they were a crisp color, he served them right from the branch.

Fyxitalitas bit into the meat and tasted the natural flavors that the outdoor campfire brought. A light smoky taste was present on the outside, giving the pork an authentic flavor. The juices gushed out with each bite, a satisfying bonus to every mouthful. Each new bite was a session in premium fire-roasted meatery, something not many get to experience. If Fyx hadn’t been acquainted with beastly food before, he certainly would be infatuated after trying these hot morsels of pork. He could almost forget he picked up these sausages in the swamp town, though they were packed in isolated containers.

As they ate, Qyx felt something wracking in his mind. He tried not to think about it, but no matter how much he tried to ignore it, it kept coming back. Not just mentally, but he saw it with his own two eyes. It was hard to ignore when  _ he _ was so eager to show it in battle. It ate at Qyx’s mind; he could no longer choose to set it aside and hoped it’d be better next time. He needed to get some kind of answer.

“Fyx. Can I ask you something?”

“Yes, my friend, what is it?”

Qyx pressed his lips, nervous to pass the next words. He pondered a moment, trying to think of how to put this.

“Why… Why do you have such little reservation about killing?”

Fyx was about to take another bite, but stopped. He lowered his food and gazed into the campfire. He didn’t answer for a while. Even the crickets stopped chirping, as if waiting for his answer.

“Are you saying I wasn’t justified in ending the lives of those nox bandits?”

“It doesn’t matter who. The fact of the matter is that you slayed them without a second thought. You  _ murdered _ that tribal when he was looking the other way. Bam. An ice lance right through his skull.”

Fyx gripped his hand together, “Those men were going to kill us if we didn’t first. I guarantee you they have far less moral fiber than me. I would’ve killed Karaliss if I hadn’t seen you were in a bad state of mind. I prioritized getting you out of there rather than finishing the job.”

Qyx became phased again, “You would’ve killed her… if it weren’t for me?”

“She was an unhinged psychopath. I bet everything that won’t be the last the world hears from her. The world needs less people like that.”

“You’re one to talk, Fyx. Remember when you executed that guy back at the swamp? You didn’t even kill him, you broke his legs and left him to die at the hands of vicious wildlife. That’s too far.”

“Okay,  _ fine _ , I’ll admit he was a victim of my vengeance. He casted a fire spell at me and attempted to run. I wouldn’t stand idly by while he runs off after such an insulting gesture!” Fyx shouted, some frost forming at his hands. “Besides, as I said, he was probably going to go home, recover, and promptly get back to robbing people. Do you really want to leave someone like that around?”

“It was still horrible what you did to him!”

Fyx glared at him with his fuschia eyes, “I don’t care. I really don’t. A worthless dredge that no one will ever miss. No one except you, it seems.”

Qyx stood up to confront him, prompting Fyx to do the same. They stood off, only the campfire sitting in their way. Second felt like minutes; minutes, like hours. None of them dared move, waiting for the other to do something. Furrowed brows and gritted teeth expressed upon their faces, fists clenched in rancor. The air was quiet. Nothing but the idle crackling of the fire permeated the scene. The world stood still.

Just as it seemed things were about to escalate, Qyx sighed and retook his seat. He didn’t take his eyes off the blue dragon as he sat down as well. They didn’t speak, just watching the campfire dance in the dark. He shifted his feet in the dirt, kicking up some dust. Fyx’s half-eaten sausage was on the ground, having fallen off his lap. He made no attempt to pick it back up.

“Fyx, that day, where I revealed who I was, you mentioned you ‘didn’t want to leave someone to bleed out in the forest’.”

Impossibly, Fyx grew even more quiet. “...Yes? And?”

“What happened?”

“That’s… not something I’m comfortable sharing.”

Qyx looked down, “Oh, I should’ve guessed that. Sorry for asking.”

Fyx rubbed his fingers and pressed his lips, “Well, I suppose I can share it, if you desire.”

“Only if you’re comfortable. You know my secrets, but I don’t know many of yours.”

“Do you suspect that story has something to do with my deranged bloodlust?”

Qyx didn’t say anything.

Fyx sighed, “Very well. Let me tell you a story. A story involving me and another colleague of mine.”

Qyx took a seat next to him on the log and listened quietly.

“It was my second year at the Scholar’s Society. Me and another associate, an intellectual but charming drakeling named Ryss, were out in the Moon Valley researching the mysterious glowing mushrooms in that area. It was supposed to be a chance to do some field work and get off campus.”

“You liked Ryss?”

Fyx bobbed his head, “More or less. What mattered was that we were research partners on this assignment. Two individuals brought together to forward science. For that, I’d call him my friend.”

“So what happened?”

“One night, we’re foraging for the aforementioned glowing mushrooms. I’m in the bush looking for some when I hear… aggressive voices. I remain hidden in the shrubs and watch what happens. Ryss is standing there with his notebook when he’s confronted by a band of huntsfolk.”

“Human bastards.”

“Qyx. Don’t be racist.”

“Right, sorry. Huntsfolk bastards.”

Fyx took a moment before resuming his story. He stared into the flame, as if the story was playing out within it. Qyx remained patient, eyeing a small platoon of ants now crawling on the discarded sausage.

“I watched as all five closed in on him, aiming their arrows or blades. I remember their distinct green outfits, blending into the green tines. We never saw them coming.” He finally broke his gaze from the fire, “It was unbelievable. I swear I even saw a member of the Orimus family among them, but I can’t be sure.”

Qyx wasn’t sure what to make of that, so he just nodded and let him continue.

“They were brutish and cruel. Rather than give him a quick death, they saw it fit to make sure he knew that he was a beast and thus, marked for execution.”

Fyx held his head and his breathing became more agitated. He stared at the ground with eyes wide open and tried to keep himself together. Glistening eyes threatened to weep right there and now. His finger claws dug into his white hair, straggling his luscious mane. 

Qyx broke him out of his stupor, “So what did you do?”

“What did I do? What did I do?!” Fyx slammed a foot into the dirt, causing a small icy explosion, “I RAN! I was a coward! A young coward.” He conjured frost magic in his hand, though this orb was unstable and shaky, threatening to erupt. “The endless power of frost; I squandered it out of fear of being a monster. ‘If I killed them, what would that make me?’ I justified.”

“You could’ve saved him…”

Fyx’s orb explodes into a thousand pieces, “YES! I could have. If only I hadn’t been so afraid to take another life.” He falls to his knees, “I left him to die. To bleed out to death in some forsaken forest. I told myself I would never let something like that happen again.”

“That’s why you came after me. Why you were so concerned.”

“Precisely. You may think me as some kind of immoral murderer, but I do have a heart.” The icy mist that had begun to form around Fyx’s body faded away as he calmed down. “But Qyx, if that means taking a life to save another, I’ll do it. By the sky’s name, I’ll do it no matter the situation. There are no second chances.”

The white dracon scooted closer to his friend, “I know how it must feel. You don’t want another thing like that to happen again, I get that, but over these past few days, I’ve seen you do some cold-blooded stuff that honestly makes me uneasy.”

“They were entirely justified.”

“There is no world that exists where leaving a man to die by the jaws of swamp creatures is ‘the justified thing to do’.”

“Qyxidalatos. If my modus operandi disturbs you that greatly, you are free to continue the trek to the Sky’s End by yourself.” Fyx scoffed, “I’m only here for you, but if you don’t want me here, by all means, go on alone. I have a lab to get back to.”

Qyx sighed, “Look, no. No, no, I’m not going to do that. I just– I just want to see you tone it down some. At least try to restrain yourself. Will you do that for me?”

They locked gazes, red against fuschia, and stared into each other’s eyes. Fyx wore a look of contemplation and thought. He broke from the gaze and stroked his chin. Qyx didn’t look away, just watching him think and hoping there would be an outcome of some kind.

“I… I suppose I can try. For you.”

In a sudden jump, Qyx wrapped his arms around him. “Thank you.”

They hugged for a while, embracing each other. When they pulled out, the white dracon chuckled nervously. Even Fyx managed a weak smile and scratched his neck.

Fyx looked up at the night sky, “Well, it’s late now, so we should head to bed.”

“Yeah, it’s been a day.”

“First night under the stars, how exotic.”

Qyx grabbed his shoulder, “And you do mean it when you say you’ll try?”

“Yes. Yes I will try to keep myself in check. For you.”

He embraced him in another hug, “Thank you.”

After extinguishing the campfire with a blast of frost magic, both dracon crawled into the tent and slept the night away.


	20. Foray Into the Wilderness

#  Chapter Twenty - Foray Into the Wilderness

Several days were spent simply walking through the forest. Trees, ponds, and shrubs have been the scenery for the past while. It wasn’t bad, all things considered. It was certainly better than the swamp and less treacherous than a rainy hike in the mountains. The sky blessed this journey with pleasant atmosphere and no bad weather, something that gave both dracons relief and solace.

Today, they traveled on a smooth dirt road next to a cliff ledge. Below, a ravine of thorny shrubs and brambles grew uninhibited. A closer look revealed some lost bags or loot, but the risk to get them was too great, so there they sat. There was, however, a small blue jewel left astray on the side path. Fyx snatched it up and brought it against the light, observing the intricate design. He pocketed it for later.

“Say,” Fyx asked, “Do you read any books?”

Qyx stroked his scraggly chin, “Sure, I read some.”

“Yes, when I first met you, you were reading some kind of novel.”

“Yep. I try to get some reading time when I can.” Qyx opened his bag and got out some worn novels. “I just keep forgetting. I should really get back to them.”

Fyx looked over the books, “Hmm, don’t think I’ve read any of these.”

The white dragon picked a book with a blue cover labeled  _ Ice in the Blood. _ “This one’s neat.”

Fyx considered it, “A tale of two dracons, how lovely! Oh, have you ever read  _ Austral Winter _ ? It’s quite the thriller!”

“No, sorry. Any other book suggestions?”

“I read a story once about a kobold going beyond worlds. Was an over-the-top but interesting read overall.”

“Don’t think I have that one. Was it any good?”

“If you like psychedelic stories about mind-bending adventures, then sure! Though, the series gets more grounded over the trilogy.”

Things were quiet now as they walked along. It was serene and tranquil. Birds flew overhead, squirrels darted to and fro in the treeline. The sun hid behind some clouds, though the world was still bright. Under their feet, branches snapped and twigs broke.

Except that twig.

They stopped in their tracks and listened. Both swore they heard the sounds of bushes rustling, a third presence among them. They scanned the treelines, looking for any movement. Qyx kept a hand near his sword as he diligently searched for the disturbance.

Suddenly, he turned around and saw a young, raggedy kobold pickpocketing some gilded from his bag. Qyx shouted and smacked the young kobold away with a yelp. The thief tried to defend himself, but all he had was a dull knife. Qyx growled, intimidating him and causing him to recoil in fear. The young kobold then ran off into the bushes, scampering away but leaving several coins behind.

Fyx tried to persecute him, but Qyx pulled him back.

“Leave him.”

“He stole your gilded! We need to get it back. We can’t allow a thief to take advantag–” He was interrupted by being turned around.

“Fyx. He’s just a kid. He probably made off with ten or twelve coins, it’s no big deal.”

The scholar sighed and relaxed. “Yes, very well. I suppose it’s a petty issue. Still though, we shouldn’t let small children take advantage of us! I’d prefer to inflict a greater punishment.”

“Hey, I told you, it’s fine. I smacked him on the muzzle; he won’t be pickpocketing dragons anytime soon.”

Qyx came and picked up the spare gilded left behind. After counting the currency, he pocketed it and smiled, knowing nothing of great value was lost.

“There, no big loss. Let’s keep moving.”

“Yes, we must press on.” He pointed a finger, “I will say though, next time there’s a fuzzy thief, I can’t guarantee what I’ll do.”

Qyx stopped and turned around. “Fyx. No. We talked about this days ago. You need to get over your bloodlust. Personally, I think your society keeps you on a very loose leash. You need to learn to control yourself.”

“Qyxidalatos, please. I don’t kill innocents nor do I kill for no good reason. Everyone you’ve seen me eliminate was a dredge or a villain. You need to stop thinking I’m so eager to murder like a physcopath.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that kid was a moustache-twirling villain of the highest caliber.”

Fyx sighed, “I was not going to  _ murder _ a child. I simply meant to deliver some comeuppance.”

The white dragon rolled his eyes, “So long as you’re not gonna kill him. Let’s just keep going and forget about this.”

“By your request.”

Several hours later, before dark, both dracons were sitting in the bushes, watching a deer graze. A graceful creature, unaware of the dragons lying in wait for their chance to strike. Fyx rubbed his fingers together, brushing icy frost between them in anticipation. 

“Ready yet?” He asked.

Qyx looked at the deer another time, “If you’re close enough that you can’t miss, go ahead.”

Fyx’s hand closed into a fist as he gained energy. Icicles formed on his fist and formed into a single sharp point. As he pointed his fingers, it moved in response, ready to aim at a target. Then, Fyx shot his hand forth and unleashed his ice lance, landing a direct hit on the deer. It cried in pain as the frost spear pierced through his body and it landed in the dirt.

Both dracons hopped out of their hiding spot and quickly made their way to their kill. The deer twitched and seized on the ground, but to no avail. Not wanting to let it suffer, Qyx came in with his sword and granted it a mercy kill. At once, the animal stopped moving as life faded away.

“There, it’s dead.” He remarked.

Fyx smiled, “A fine hunt, Qyxidalatos. This’ll be a tasty dinner.”

Qyx got down and cut the animal into pieces, “If I had known the last town was going to be a plague site, I would’ve packed more food back in Almeya.”

“Rationing the gems and snacks is paramount out here in the isolated forest. Hunting will be a vital part of our survival.”

“No kidding.” He packed up the good parts of the animal. “Alright, got what we need. Let’s head back and cook it up.”

Their camp was located at the top of a rock near a cliffside. It was quite the view from up here, even about to catch a glimpse of the Sungaze Sea. There were evergreen trees as far as the eye could see, going on for miles. On their cliff, a campfire burned as they cooked their freshly-hunted meal. Fyx sat on the ledge, kicking his legs idly as he waited for the blood dracon to finish the dinner.

“Okay, looks good. The veil’s ready.”

Fyx eagerly turned around, “Lovely! I never knew you to be a chef, Qyx.”

“I’m not.” He looked over his handiwork, “In fact, I’m sure it’s undercooked all over.” He took a seat next to him on the ridge.

“Bah, no matter. We dracons can eat anything!”

Qyx shrugged and chuckled, “Yeah, I guess we can. Still though, I prefer my meals to actually taste good, rather than eating literal rocks. Gems are good, since they still taste like something.”

“What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?” Fyx inquired.

“Uhh, hmm. I’d have to say… a pile of old clay.”

“A pile of clay? Interesting. What’s the story?”

Qyx thought back, “Well, I was still a young vagrant, about sixteen. I was skulking around a town trying to find some scraps when I checked around the backdoor of a sculpture’s shop. In their bin, there were some scrapped projects. So, I ate them. They tasted awful.”

“Interesting. The weirdest thing I’ve ever eaten would probably be a frostbiter ant’s heart.”

Qyx visibly cringed and shuttered at the thought, “O-oh eewwww! Why?!”

“It was a frost creature and I was hungry and curious. They live near Tyxdentias, my broodhome.”

“Hmm, Tyxdentias. That’s where you’re from, huh?”

“Indeed, I still have many friends there.”

“Friends. How many friends have you made in life?”

Fyx sat back and recounted, “Okay, first off, I know Wex from childhood, Kyx and I met in my teens. Pox & Pox were a set of broodtwins. As for others, I met Enath in my first year at the Scholar’s Society; we had something of an academic rivalry throughout until he retired to Whisper Wind. I know a kobold named Rark from a trip to the Bonelands desert. And of course, I met you.”

Qyx smiled and nodded at the acknowledgement.

“How about you, what friends have you known, Qyx?”

The blood dracon sighed, “Well, not many. Some acquaintances here and there, but no friends. I did have a friend before my… exile back home.”

“Oh? Tell me about them.”

“His name was Max, and we were childhood friends. We did a lot of rambunctious things, like climbing the mountains. Real daredevils, we were.”

“When was, um, the last time you saw him?”

“The day before I got exiled when I was twelve years old on my birthday. I never even got to say goodbye.”

Fyx eek’d, “Oh, that’s harsh. You had to leave your friend just because you had something you never asked for.”

“It really was…” Qyx got quiet for a moment, but sighed, “Right, I don’t want to get into it.”

“Yes, let’s change the subject. How about battles! Do you have any scars?”

Qyx left his mouth agape for a moment, “Uhh, yeah. I do.”

“Where’d you get them? May I see?”

“I guess you can…” He undid his travel coat and exposed his bare top. There, two scars, a long one on his left chest and a smaller one on his arm. They were a reddish-pink, almost like the wound wasn’t fully healed.

“Where’d you get them?” Fyx inquired.

“The chest one was from a hunter encounter. They tried to stab me in my sleep, but they were too clumsy in their approach and woke me up. We battled, though I had… little clothing on. He slashed and got me right there.” He felt the arm scar, “This was from a razor leech. Darn thing was hiding in the water I was washing off and stuck onto my arm. Little bastard left this when I janked it off.”

“Hmm, I’ll bet the doctor who patched that up had a few questions.”

“Yeah, well, the doc was a bit injured himself. He understood.”

Fyx presented his chemically burned hands and wrists, “I already told you what happened to them back in Almeya. Saeler’s Wash explosion, numb hands for a week, you know the story.” He pointed to the middle of his browline, “But have you noticed how one of the plates on my face is damaged? It was bitten off by a Bloodbeak Hawk!”

“Oh man, I’ve seen those. They’re so aggressive if you enter their territory. Or even if you’re just standing around anywhere near it.”

“Indeed.” Fyx poked his left ear with bite marks, “These were from a rabid kobold. I was investigating a disturbance in town and, well, I’m sure you can see the damage.”

“That sucks.”

“Yes, it indeed did ‘suck’.”

Qyx yawned and tossed away the spare bone from his veil. He took another look at the wide treeline in the night and kicked his legs idly off the side of the cliff. Fyx finished his steak, bones and all. He licked his fingers clean of meat juice and relaxed with a yawn.

“Ready for bed?” Qyx asked.

“Yeah, let’s head off for the night.”


	21. A Special Gift for a Special Dragon

#  Chapter Twenty One - A Special Gift for a Special Dragon

Fyx and Qyx sat around the campfire, just like every other night. The air was cool and the fire was hot, a welcome sight after the day’s hike. The blue dracon reviewed the note in his book, taking in each page. Occasionally, he’d add something with his pen, an adjustment, an addendum, a comment. He smiled at this amalgamation of knowledge, feeling pride in his accomplishments.

Then, something popped in Fyx’s mind. He looked at the white dragon observing the warm campfire and thought to himself. Was now a good time? It was quiet, nothing going on. After stroking his chin and pressing his lips, he made his decision. Fyx got his travel bag out and looked for something within.

“I got you a little something while we were in Almeya.”

Qyx looked perplexed, “A  _ something? _ Is it another cloud jewel? I kind of got robbed last time I had one. Literally.”

Fyx got a small bag and placed it on his lap. It was tied with an eye-catching red ribbon which stood out against the white canvas material. The dracon had a goofy smile on his face, clearly hiding some unbridled excitement.

“It’s a little thing I found while you were shopping for camping supplies. I think you’ll like it.”

Qyx raised an eyebrow, “Is it edible?”

“Ah, no. It’s something else.”

“Well, let’s see it already.”

Fyx fiddled with the white bag and handed it to the white dragon. The ribbon matched both his eyes and mane, almost like a form of flattery. Qyx pressed on it, trying to get a feel for the contents; whatever was inside was squishy and soft, conforming to his grip. He tried to think of what his friend could possibly get for him.

Sparing no more time, he pulled the soft velvet string and opened the top. Slowly, he unveiled the bag’s contents, letting fabric slide off and away. The gift was revealed to be a soft, white dragon plush, complete with a red mane going down the back. It stood on four featureless legs, ending in soft stumps stitched together. The tail was slightly short with a red tuft accenting the tip. The toy looked back at Qyx with its little beady eyes, welcoming its new owner with a reassuring smile.

The white scale stared at his gift for a long while, gazing into its round eyes. “This is…”

Qyx’s dumbfounded expression quickly changed into a wide, genuine smile. Then, for the first time in Qyx’s long life, he started laughing. It was quiet at first, a small chuckle under his breath, but gradually grew louder the longer he stared at his new toy. His happiness couldn’t be contained as a joyful smile spread across his face. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t stop laughing at this mirror image of himself. He lifted it up as if it were his child and giggled gleefully.

“This is… adorable! Hahahah!”

Fyx started laughing in turn, “Yes! I saw it on a toy vender’s cart and it looked like you! I knew I simply had to buy it!”

Qyx hugged the plush tightly, still giggling. “By the sky, thank you! I love it! It’s so cute!”

“Yours to keep, my friend.” Fyx hugged him. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Fyx, I  _ love _ it!” He lifted it into the air again and let it fly against the starry sky. “He’s my new friend.”

“Hah, perhaps one day I’ll find a blue dragon for myself to match yours!”

“That’d be really nice.” Qyx lay the plush in his lap as he pet it idly.

Fyx hugged him suddenly, taking the infatuated Qyx by surprise. Regardless, he embraced his best friend and hugged him back.

“Thanks. Took me by surprise a bit there, but that was nice.”

Fyx giggled, “The best hugs are the ones you never see coming, from those you least expect.”

“That’s either the most charming thing you’ve ever said or the creepiest.”

They both sat and looked up at the stars. Embers flew up and into the sky, adding twinkling lights of their own. Fyx got out a sausage and roasted it over the fire. After cooking it for a sufficient time, he took a big bite and gobbled it down. Qyx continued to idly toss his new toy in his hands. Every time he looked down at it, his smile grew.

Qyx looked up at the night sky, staring at the twinkling stars upon the blue sky. He took a moment to ponder to himself. Such a vast world, but he was just a small dragon living in it.

“Isn’t it strange to think we’re all space lizards? At least, the children of space lizards?” Qyx chuckled.

“How do you know dracons are from space? It’s one mystery that no one can answer, where exactly did the dracons come from? I do wonder what that world was like, if it even was one at all.”

“You know a lot more about our people’s history than me.”

“Of course. I was on a trip to Old Havenbrook, and wouldn’t you know it, one of the most pivotal moments in dracon history happens a couple days later!”

“That meeting of the black dracons?”

Fyx nodded, “Indeed. I was in Hollowford at the time when the sky went dark. I go outside and the entire world looks like it’s about to end. Then, it all stopped. The clouds receded and it was like it never happened.”

“But do you know what happened?”

“Uncertain. My, and everyone else’s, first instinct was to investigate the Lastleaf Crater where this all took place. The black dracons present didn’t allow anybody to come up, but from what gathered, they were trying to prevent something from happening. It seemed the Tenth Line was coming true.”

“Then what happened?”

“Well, I’m not certain. No one’s been allowed to travel up the crater so I can’t investigate.” Fyx stroked his chin in thought. “Politically, it seems the anti-beast sentiment is finally receding in the era of King Orimus II and they’ve completely dismantled the Fangmire Wall.”

“Fangmire Wall? I was long gone before I ever saw it.” Qyx shook his head. “Heard it was pretty much a statement that beasts weren’t accepted in Skyweather.”

“Truly an awful time politically, but I’m glad it’s coming to an end. I hear King’s Crown is still completely governed by beasts after the uprising, but I haven’t been there.”

The dracons sat quietly for a while, just watching the flames dance. Qyx yawned as he kept the mini Qyx close in his lap. Fyx, upon seeing him do that, yawned in return. It’d only be a couple more days of travel until they reached the Sky’s End. Another look at the map revealed there to be one more stop until then, a little town named ‘Short End’. The tent wasn’t bad, but it would be nice to sleep in a bed for a night.

Meanwhile, something stirred in Qyx’s mind. He felt something he never had before, an emotion unfamiliar. It seemed the more time he spent with Fyx, the stronger it became. Never in all his life had he had someone he felt this way with, this was a new journey. He looked at the blue dracon that infatuated him. His clean white hair, his passive smile, his intellect, everything about him was an object of admiration.

Qyx looked at the plush dragon. Its round, beady eyes begged for attention, like a newborn kobold. The squishy white fabric that stitched it together offered comfort and warmth in troubled times. This was a gift from Fyx, a representation the bond they’ve built over these past weeks. Surely the dracon feels the same about him if he felt the urge to get him this?

It was at this moment Qyx felt as though he had a true friend. Someone to look to for advice. Someone to confide in during rough times. Someone to place your deepest secret in knowing that it would be safe. It was nice.

“You know, Fyx, I think I really like you.”

“Oh?”

“I do. You’re a true friend in my life. My best friend. My  _ only _ friend.”

Fyx couldn’t help but smile at those words. He pulled his friend in for another hug. “I do too, Qyx. I know many people in my life and I do call them friends. But you? You hold a special place in my heart that no one else does.”

They closed their eyes and nuzzled against the light of the fire. Fyx pulled their heads together even closer and bonded in a deep hug. For a minute, there was nothing else in the world besides these two friends sharing an intimate moment. Time slowed to a crawl. Nothing but the sounds of crackling fire and small sniffles echoed in the quiet night.

Qyx pulled out and gazed at Fyx through his glistening eyes. His fuschia eyes were beautiful in the orange light; they almost matched Qyx’s off-red pupils. Despite the bright light of the campfire, both dracon’s blush was highly evident. Qyx wiped his eyes of tears and chuckled nervously. Fyx smirked and returned a similar laugh. They released their bond and scooted back to their spots on the log.

Qyx sighed to himself and perked up. He wouldn’t soon forget this moment, not ever. For now, however, he heaved a large yawn, stretching his arms out.

“Well, I guess we should go to sleep, huh?”

“Indeed. We still have a distance to go in the coming days.”

Qyx nodded in agreement and got up, taking his plush-alike with him. Fyx finished his entry and stuffed the book away in his bag. After that, he blew onto the campfire to extinguish it and headed to bed. They both retired in the tent for the night.


	22. Bump in the Night

#  Chapter Twenty Two - Bump in the Night

The sun was just beginning to set at the end of this day of travel. The dragons had traveled far this day, passing by nothing but trees, shrubs, and dirt. They decided to take a break on a cliff overlooking the forest. Fyx got a sandwich out and nibbled down on the ham, cheese, and rye bread. Qyx ate a piece of dried jerky and hung his legs over the ledge.

“Look. Over there. Do you see it, Qyx?” He pointed at the mountains in the distance. “The Sky’s End. We’re close.”

“Yeeeaah.”

Fyx took note of his friend’s response. He scooted closer, “Still feeling apprehensive?”

“Yeah, of course I am. No dracon has ever returned to their brood after exile. Never.” Qyx shook his head.

Fyx repeated the gesture, “I’ve said it before so I’ll say it again, we’re not going to them. As long as we stay quiet and don’t disturb them, we won’t be seen.”

“I’d sure hope so. Thanks.”

After a while longer of sitting there, they set off again.

The town sign read ‘Short End’ above the rusty entrance. Night had just fallen and it was good to finally come upon a town after nothing but camping for so long. Even this downtrodden village was a sight for sore eyes on this chilly evening.

The buildings were overgrown in leaves and vines on the white brick walls, though, this added its own sense of beauty. Wooden windows were obscured by the foggy glass, having not been cleaned in a while. Regardless, there were still people living here. A few beastfolk or humans were out doing some last-minute activities before it was too late.

“I think I remember this place.” Qyx remarked, “Short End. One of the stops I made before I headed up and took a boat.”

“What do you remember about this place?” Fyx inquired.

“First place I decided to go out in public. I lived on the outskirts for a while in my teens, but finally went into town for work when I was sixteen.”

“A piece of your history! Wanna take a look around?”

“Not really. I just want to get some rest.”

“Well, we don’t know where the inn is. How about we split up and we’ll meet back here, okay?”

Qyx shrugged and muttered something in agreement.

Wandering around town, Qyx walked into a ‘Nyuneas’ Game and Hobby’. Inside, a purple-tinted wolf stood manning the counter. He looked up from what appeared to be his drawing pad and shoved it away quickly. He then slid an abacus onto the counter and moved some beads around.

Qyx looked around the shop and found a pack of Quad Pro Quo cards. The label specified this was the ‘Short End Edition’ of the game, whatever that meant. Taking a peek inside, he saw pictures of various characters, even the purple wolf seen behind the counter. In addition, there were a number of fire dracons in the cards. The blood dracon had zero knowledge of the game, so he replaced it back on the shelf. 

Next to it, he found the sequel, Quad Pro Quo II.  _ ‘Two?! They made another one?’  _ he thought. In this pack, more characters in a distinctive style were painted on blue backgrounds. Something Qyx noticed was that there were only three elements in this game.  _ ‘Wow, what an innovation – less features.’  _ he sarcastically thought to himself.

After briefly glancing at a couple other games, Qyx had enough and made his way to the counter. “Excuse me,” He asked the wolf. “I’m looking for the inn. Do you know where it is?”

“We don’t have one anymore.” The canine replied, looking up from his abacus.

“What? Every town has an inn!”

The wolf shrugged, “Sorry, not this one. We’re such a dead-end palace no one ever comes here. The last inn we had closed down.”

Qyx thought back, “Huh. Last time I was here, you guys still had your inn. I distinctly remember looking at the prices and realizing I was young and had no money.”

“Well, you’re out of luck. Sorry.”

“I see. Guess I’ll be going then.” Qyx said and exited the shop.

Meanwhile, Fyx came upon a light green drakeling sitting and drawing on a sketch pad. “Ah, hello there, I’m Fyx. Do you know where the inn is around here?”

The lizard set his pencil down, “Oh hey, I’m Lupus.”

“Wait, your name is Lupus but you’re a drakeling?”

The drakeling nodded, “Pretty much. I was raised by wolf folk, so I like to say I’m half wolf and half dragon.”

“Lupus the drake, interesting. Anyway, I’m looking for the local inn?”

Lupus grimaced, “Er, sorry, there is none here.”

Fyx was taken aback, “What? There’s no inn here?”

“No, sorry. We get so little traffic that we don’t need one.” Lupus frowned and shook his head, “The closest settlements are the fire dracon brood to the west, Port Prosperity to the north, and Villeleau Verte to the east. If you do need lodging, you should head up north to the coast town.”

“I see. Well, I’m not heading north. In fact, I’m on my way to the Sky’s End.”

“Ah. Well, sorry I couldn’t help.”

Fyx nodded, “It’s not your fault. Anyway, clear skies to you.” He started walking away, but quickly turned around. “Oh! I wouldn’t go to Villeleau Verte if I were you. It’s not in the best of states.”

Lupus seemed perplexed and concerned about this news, but shrugged and packed up his things.

Fyx went to the main area of town and waited by the dying tree in the center. What crusty leaves it still had were falling to the ground, laying by the shallow puddles on the cobblestone. Just for fun, Fyx shot a minor ice spell at a puddle and froze it, ensnaring a leaf.

After several minutes of waiting, Qyx came by and found his blue dracomage friend loitering by the town center. “Hey, bad news, there’s no inns here. I couldn’t believe it either.”

“Hello there. I was about to deliver the same bad news. What should we do?”

The blood dracon scratched his red beard, “I have no idea. Something tells me bunking with someone is out of the question. Especially considering…”

He looked around and the town was desolate. Just a moment before, there were people walking about, but not anymore. It was as if they disappeared out of sight during the dragon’s short exchange. All the house lights were out and the doors shut tight. Given the town’s rundown exterior, one could be mistaken for thinking it was abandoned.

“Wait, where is everyone?”

“Hmm, well, it’s a small town and it’s night time. Everyone went to sleep.” Fyx asked.

“Yeah, but, it’s so quiet.”

“Again, there’s no one here. Everyone is at home. It sounds like you need more sleep if you’re getting jumpy over this.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Still though, I don’t know what we’re going to do tonight.”

Fyx lifted the camping bag and presented it, “Well, we have our gear. Sounds like it’s another night under the stars.”

Qyx pressed his face and exhaled, “...I was really hoping for a bed tonight, but I guess that’s out of the question.”

Upon hoisting the backpack over his shoulder, Fyx patted him on the shoulder, “Come then, let’s find a place outside to set up.”

Just before they started off, they heard footsteps echoing in the streets. The sounds of claws clacking against the stone path made a distinct noise, one they knew just from walking through this town themselves. It was jarring hearing this after the village was so quickly emptied.

“Ahh, someone’s awake. Not so scary now?”

Qyx starred in the direction of the sound, “No, now it’s even worse. Do you hear it? That’s not a casual stroll. That sounds more… slow. Methodical.”

Listening closer, he was right. There was about a second or two in between each step, almost as if they were unfamiliar with how to walk. There they echoed, just a block away. Step….. Step….. Step…..

“I suppose you’re right, they are a bit disturbing. I can’t help but be curious as to the source.” Fyx crept closer to investigate, but Qyx tried to argue.

“Wait, no, don’t!”

“Shh! Don’t be an independent variable!”

They snuck up on the side of a viney building just around the corner. Whatever it was, it was right there, still walking in its strange way. Qyx shook with anxiety while Fyx stayed low and peeked around.

There, down the road, was a dracon. They were a silhouette in the dark night, but from what could be discerned, they were slumped and were taking steps very lazily in a circle. Their head was tilted at an unusual angle, like they were making no effort of keeping it up. Every step looked as though they put a lot of energy into it, despite it only taking them a short distance.

“Fascinating…” Fyx pondered.

“What… what is wrong with them?”

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” The scholar exited his cover and approached the strange dracon, much to Qyx’s dismay.

The dragon’s details could be discerned now that Fyx got closer. They were a fire dracon with dirty blond hair. With his back turned, his shaggy tail followed in his wake and dragged on the ground. He didn’t wear any kind of robes, preferring a light overcoat with a yellow tint. They didn’t seem to notice Fyx’s approach, merely shuffling along further.

“Hello? Are you okay?” Fyx asked. They didn’t answer and took another clumsy step away. “Hello? Are you able to speak? Are you deaf?” He said and came around to confront him.

Fyx’s concern grew as he saw the dracon’s face. Their eyes were closed completely, unaware of their surroundings seemingly. Despite this, they continued taking their cumbersome steps every second. Fyx took a moment to observe the dracon’s form. Their arms hung lazily on the sides and their head was slouched over. Occasionally, their ear twitched.

“My friend, are you alright?” Fyx asked and grabbed his arm.

“AAAAAAAAAGH!!” The dracon screamed and jolted his eyes open. “What– What’s happening?!” He panicked and emitted a spark of flame from his hand.

“Calm down! Everything is fine! Are you okay?”

“What, who are you?” The stranger asked and bracing himself.

“I’m Fyx, I’m not from around here!”

“Oh, I see now.” After taking a few breaths, he calmed down. “Okay, I’m okay. Fyx, you can’t stay here tonight. You’ll be cursed.”

“Cursed?”

“Yes, the dracons here, we’re cursed.”

Just then, Qyx came out of hiding and rapidly approached, “Fyx! You okay? What’s going on?”

The stranger jumped, “Woah! Don’t scare me like that!”

Fyx came between them, “Okay, let’s slow down here. I’m Fyx. What’s your name?”

“I’m Hyx.” The third dracon said. “Hyximalatos.”

“And I’m Qyx. We’re just passing through.”

Hyx took a long and perplexed look at Qyx, moving his lips as if about to say something then disregarding it. Qyx shuffled awkwardly over his staring and avoided locking eyes.

“Anyway,” Fyx spoke up, “What’s this about a curse?”

“Yes yes. You see–” As he started to speak, another set of slow footsteps echoed in the quiet streets. “Oh no, there’s another one.”

“Another what?”

“Shh… we need to be quiet.” Hyx got low and investigated with the other dragons in tow. There, near the back of town, another dracon was doing the exact same slumped walk. “We can’t wake them up. Trust me, it usually doesn’t end well.”

“Sleepwalking?” Fyx asked.

“Pretty much, but it can be much more… destructive with a dracon. You’re lucky I didn’t blast you with fire!”

Fyx stroked his chin, “Sleepwalking isn’t that dangerous, relatively speaking. At least, so long as you don’t wake them up. What’s the ‘curse’ about?”

Hyx took a seat against the wall, “You see, all the dracons in this town start sleepwalking at the exact same hour every couple nights. No one knows why, but it’s a consistent pattern that’s been here for years. Sometimes it’s a week apart, sometimes it happens two nights in a row. The exact same hour, we all get up and walk around.”

“Where are all these sleepwalkers? How many dracons live here?” The scholar prodded further.

“Well, most of them are constrained to their homes. We’re aware of this, everyone is. That’s why it’s town law that everyone must be in their homes at a certain hour, so as to limit disturbances.”

“Well, Hyx, me and my friend here are looking for a place to stay for the night. You said we can’t stay though?”

Hyx grimaced at the prospect, “No, you can  _ not _ stay here. Not unless you want to end up like us. You see, some dracons moved away from here, but the curse followed them. Even though they are miles away, they still get up on the exact same day at the exact same time as the ones here. No one can explain it. Right now, some poor dracon is sleepwalking miles away from here.”

Fyx wanted to try and explain that, but he was unable. “So what shall we do then?”

“Well, it looks like you got a tent already. Best bet is to make camp outside of here. I’d probably go a mile or so just to be safe.”

Qyx groaned at the idea of camping again and slumped and frowned.

Fyx nodded, “Very well, let’s move out.”

“Here, I’ll escort you out. I know this town better than you and we’ll try to avoid the sleepwalkers together, okay?”

“Right.”

Hyx got up and scanned the area. The other sleepwalker had moved on by this point so all three of them stuck together. They crossed a small bridge over a creek and headed into a more residential area. Things were quiet, at least until the sounds of crashing came from a nearby house.

“What was that?” Fyx whispered.

“Oh, that’s Dox’s house. Poor guy’s probably running into things in there. He’ll have to deal with it in the morning, we can’t wake him up. His door’s locked anyway.”

“So how’d you escape your house?”

Hyx pondered, “I don’t know, actually. I swear I locked my door with the latch, but maybe not.”

“Perhaps you unlocked it yourself while sleepwalking?”

“Maybe. We’ve had cases like that. We might look like zombies walking around, but we’ve had cases of us doing weird stuff. Someone once climbed the town center tree, one found himself right on the edge of town and woke up, another somehow cooked an entire roast.”

Qyx rubbed his belly, “Mmmm… roast.”

“Why’s this place called ‘Short End’ anyway?” Fyx asked, still in a hushed tone.

“Well, let’s just say that there were two towns founded around the same time. One was built near the Sungaze Sea and got lots of traffic, imports, people. And the other got nothing. Port Prosperity has pretty much everything, so why would you want to stay here? We got the ‘short end’ of the stick.” Hyx shrugged.

“You still live here, don’t you?”

“Yeah, well, I left my brood to pursue life. Right now, I’m just staying here because it’s cheap and there’s other fire dracons here. I plan a trip to Vallowind in the future.”

Making it past the housing, the exit was just in sight. Their escape was thwarted by the sudden appearance of a sleepwalker shuffling in the way. There, another fire dracon stood and blocked their exit.

“Lax is in the way! You need to be real quiet, he’s a very light sleeper.”

Fyx took a breath and prepared himself. “Okay. Thanks for taking us this far, Hyx.”

“Yeah, no problem. I need to get back home, but I’ll stay here until you leave.”

The dracon friends crept forward, trying not to make a sound as they approached the sleepwalking Lax. Or rather, sleepstanding, as he wasn’t moving at all. Smoke escaped from his nostrils with every breath; he was clearly very attuned with fire.

Fyx did his best to creep around him, avoiding the inconveniently placed puddles and sticks on the street. He was close enough to sense the fire element emanating from Lax, contrasting with Fyx’s frost alignment. In his sleep, he heaved a big cloud of smoke, nearly causing Fyx to cough, but he managed to resist. A couple more steps, and he was clear and past the gate.

The blood dracon looked at the scene and crossed his arms.  _ ‘Why don’t I just teleport?’ _ he asked himself. So, he did just that. Channeling his energy, he focused himself to the other side. However, he scuffed the spell and ended up creating a sharp cracking noise upon his departure.

Hyx and Fyx froze as they watched the sleeping Lax, hoping he wouldn’t awake. After Qyx finished his jump, he quickly realized what he had done and joined them in the worry. Time stopped as they prayed to the sky he wouldn’t jolt awake. The smoke out of Lax’s nostrils stopped and started randomly as he seemed to stir in his sleep.

Then, Lax took a step forward and continued on his sleepwalk. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and watched him shuffle along into the night. Fyx waved goodbye to Hyx as they headed off into the night. Hyx waved, but couldn’t stop looking at Qyx. He shook his head and turned to make his way home.

“Well that was interesting.” Qyx remarked.

“Indeed. I do wonder what’s causing all the sleepwalking? Why does it only happen to dracons? When exactly did it start happening? I must make note of it and bring it up with the Society.”

“I’m sure it's all just ‘magic’ in the end.” Qyx shrugged.

“Perhaps. Though, no one could explain the mysterious rearranging rocks in The Desolate, or The Crooked Forest.”

“I just hope we don’t end up like those dragons. I need my sleep. Speaking of?”

“Yes, I concur. Let’s move out.”


	23. In the Name of Knowledge

#  Chapter Twenty Three - In the Name of Knowledge

On the night after, the white dracon sat by the warm campfire. This was a familiar sight; he had sat by many a campfire in his lifetime. Sometimes with others, sometimes with a small group, but most times by himself. Tonight, he was accompanied only by the mini plush doppelganger of himself, who he decided to name Qhibi. Blazing embers flew into the dark sky, dancing on the air current. The heat was tranquilizing for Qyx, the sounds of burning timber activated a dopamine reaction within him, relaxing every muscle in his body. 

He took a deep breath, taking in the hot air. This feeling was what he truly loved in life; it was nostalgic for him. Ever since he was exiled from his brood in his early teenage years, his only comfort was the welcoming blaze of a campfire. It was rough for a long time. Days of cold, days of loneliness, days of violence. Through thick and thin, he could always rely on being greeted by a warm orange glow at the end of the day. Truely, it was the only friend he’s ever had in life.

It wasn’t until he met a certain blue dracon that he ever felt at ease with someone else. He was hesitant at first when he came up to him that day in the inn. All his life he’d learned to push people away, just as they had done to him. Qyx had planned to ditch him at the next town, continuing on to his own life, but that all changed that fateful evening. Fyx made a promise to keep the white scale’s true identity a secret, and that was the first time he felt reassurance. True honest reassurance, in a stranger he met less than a day ago. He could  _ sense _ something within him. Something told Qyx that this dracon was someone he could trust, someone he could confide in, even if he didn’t want to show it at the time.

There had been others he’d confessed to over the years, some were too insignificant to be of concern. Some were unpredictable, to say the least. Qyx wished he could forget what he had to do to keep those mouths shut. The guilt never left him, sticking on his mind like a disease.

If Fyx was sitting here right now, he’d look to him and smile on the inside. Right now, Fyx had made a run back to Short End to gather some supplies. They had made no progress today, opting to take a break and hang out in town. It was going to be something of a trek tomorrow and the days after, so Fyx saw it fit to head into the town to restock before the curfew. 

The journey past the Sky’s End Mountains excited Qyx, but also brought a sense of fear and unease. Even getting near the very same brood he was exiled from was cause for anxiety. No dracon had ever returned to their original brood after being banished; it was unheard of. To be extradited was a sign of shame and meant you were weak. Unsubstantial. Unwanted. 

Thinking these words brought anguish to Qyx. It was a memory he chose to keep hidden away, something he never wanted to come back to. He’ll never forget the verbal abuse he suffered as the elders cast their judgment upon him. He was just a boy, but all they saw was “an aberration,” “a crime against the elements themselves,” something that was “never meant to exist.” No amount of tears or begging could change their minds. His desperate pleas fell on deaf ears.

Qyx tore himself away from those thoughts, going back to the warm comfort of the campfire. He surveyed the surrounding area, noting how the nearby ridge isolated them from any would-be intruders. He looked at the sitting arrangement and noticed Fyx had left his travel bag when he went to town. It rested against the log, the orange flame casting onto the light blue fabric, matching his scholar robes. Fyx’s notebook was poking out of one of the pockets, with a few writing devices accompanying it. He kept all the notes he’d ever taken in it, something of an archive of his scholarly journey.

The white dracon stroked his red, unkempt beard, curious about what was inside. Qyx wasn’t dumb by any stretch of the imagination, but he was nowhere near the intelligence level of Fyxitalitas. He wondered if he could learn something by studying his notes, or at least look at the pictures. Fyx had never actually shown him what was inside, presumably because it was dull and boring to the unscientific. The white scale breathed out, letting a few red particles drift out of his mouth.

Qyx inched over to the bag, looking over it from above. He could see some of the samples Fyx had gathered throughout their journey so far, such as the vial of plague from Kex or the mysterious dracon history book. In addition, there were numerous torn-out pages with notes scrawled on the parchment, clearly from his journal. Interestingly, Fyx had another book like his journal, but this one was cleaner. Qyx chuckled when he saw one of the pockets was dedicated to blue gems of various shapes and sizes. Fyx loved his gems. Qyx did too, at least the yellow ones, but he honestly preferred the more hearty beast or human meals. The quickest way to a dracon’s heart is through their stomach.

Qyx slid the leather-bound book out of its pocket. It was worn with age, the pages were yellowed and the brown leather was stained. The current year was carved into the front cover, implying he gets a new book for every cycle. He flipped it open to the first page which had many words written in a near-unreadable scrawl. The diagrams and sketches were legible, having been drawn with a thin pencil. The perfect lines and angles implied a straight edge was used for the more meticulous designs. The first several pages were dedicated to some kind of study on dracon teleportation, as implied by the mathematical equations and diagrams of exactly that.

He flipped through more pages, some containing nothing but words and bullet points. He got to the parts where he recognized the drawings, such as the universal symbol for the water element that Fyx sketched when they were at Uyxstilix. Qyx had never even known there was a proper symbol for each of the elements. He saw one for fire, another for ice, sky, and nox. Even the subelements were drawn below their respective derivatives, such as earth or lightning. 

Another page or so contained a preliminary study on the Green Plague. A list of symptoms were written down when Fyx was helping the swampfolk figure out treatments. He even managed to sketch some drawings of the nasty boils in here, something Qyx was disgusted by. He wasn’t sure if the mysterious yellow stain on the page was a crude sample of the pus or an unfortunate sneeze, either one was disgusting and had Qyx flipping to the next page quickly. He hardly remembered what happened after Kex’s death. It was all a blur as he just sat in the corner and let Fyx do his thing.

There were notes written from when they were in Almeya, Daxmyriax, Whisper Wind, even the brief interview they did while walking to Burning Hive Pass. As much as he liked Fyx, he didn’t want to get into his past life or his alignment more than he had to. Quite frankly, that interview was about as much as he was willing to give away, friend or not. Fyx may be a ruthless scientist, but at least he respects Qyx enough to leave him be.

However, as he turned the next page, that entire thought process went out the window. Its contents shook him cold and his eyes widened as he took in the writings. On the parchment were numerous writings and sketches for the forbidden blood element. Qyx’s eyes darted back and forth between the contents. There was a drawing for the various spells and effects Qyx was capable of, all in great detail and annotated with lines and text. What he read was in a cold and sterile language, only the facts mattered.

Most striking of all was a page dedicated to a recapturing of that fateful day. The scene of a dozen huntsfolk massacred by him, all drawn up for the purpose of study. A red pencil was used to highlight the magical effects that were used to slaughter them all. A red piercing bolt shot through the archers, a cloud of death overtook the footmen. Even the crushing tendrils used for their leader was not precluded from the sketch. Every spell was annotated with names, explanations, and questions, all written in very competent medical terms.

The next page had the diagram of the scene of Kex’s demise. The powerful influx of blood energy he had expelled to save Fyx had also been documented behind his back. Lines going to points of interest were scattered with added speculation or hypothesis, no sympathy or tact. It didn’t help that Fyx was something of a decent artist, so these scenes were drawn in gruesome detail. There was even a note stating he wished a more thorough analysis of Kex’s corpse could’ve been performed.

Fyx had broken his promise. His promise to Qyx to keep everything between them only. All of his secrets were here in this book for anyone to see. If he did not intend to tell anyone, then why write it down? Even if this was just for him, you don’t need notes and pictures to remember things. Was Qyx nothing more than a study to Fyx? A quick payoff when he publishes his research? A guinea pig for his theories and tests? Such a theory isn’t so farfetched with Fyx; he’s demonstrated a distinctive lack of empathy these past few days. Now, the truth was revealed.

Qyx grasped the book tightly, seething with rage and betrayal, a dark red cloud formed around his gripping fist. He shook his head and scowled, recounting all the events up until this moment, now seeing the analytical intent behind all of Fyx’s actions. There was no way Fyx actually cared for him, he saw that now. Even the first words he spoke to him was a question. Not hello, not a greeting, he started with a question he wanted answered. Fyx knew Qyx was an unusual person, so he saw it fit to get his precious answers. He should’ve just brushed him off right then and there. He should’ve known better. 

Just as Qyx was about to get up and personally confront Fyx in town, the dracon himself showed up, carrying a bag of supplies in his arms. Qyx gritted his teeth at the sight, at the despicable dragon that dared play him for a fool.

“Qyx! I got a good deal on supplies in Short End! Just a bit of charm and haggling is all it took.” Fyx said cheerily, looking over the large linen bag of goods.

Qyx immediately got up and stomped over to him, gripping the notebook tightly and keeping the offending page open. Red particle sprites flew out of his mouth and trailed behind as he seethed. His clawed feet dug into the mud and kicked up dirt.

“Fyxitalitas. What. Is this?” The blood dragon growled, confronting Fyx with the notes and drawings. 

He shoved the book in his face, making sure he saw what the problem was. Fyx’s eyes widened at the sight, letting out a short gasp. He dropped the bulky sack on the grass, some items spilled out from the top as it tipped over.

“And what are you doing with  _ my  _ notebook?! I never allowed you in there!” Fyx retorted, pointing at the book and placing a hand on his hip, bearing an expression of ire.

“Answer the question, Fyxitalitas. What. Is. This?” He reaffirmed his grip, his claws tearing the pages slightly. The blue dracon actually looked at the book, and suddenly realized what exactly he was referring to.

“Oh! That...” Fyx grew culpable, “Qyx, no, I just…” He couldn’t muster the words and stubbled over himself. He clasped his hands and looked down as if searching for the answer on the ground.

“What. You just  _ what? _ ” Qyx still waited for a comprehensive answer and grew impatient.

“P-please. I just… wanted…. to know…to learn more.”

“Is that all I am to you? Something to study and poke at?”

“I just need to know everything! It’s who I am! My existence is to learn everything this world has to offer!” Fyx pleaded. Qyx eyed the campfire. “I wasn’t going to tell a soul! I swear on the sky’s name I wasn’t! Please! Calm down!”

“You betrayed my trust. You promised to keep this all a secret. This is  _ not _ keeping it a secret.” The dracon snarled. He stomped back to the sitting area and glared at the fire.

“You have to believe me! No one was going to look at those drawings! I sincerely promise they were just for me!”

Qyx scoffed, “Yeah, just for you. You coldhearted scientist. You don’t care for no one but yourself. No wonder you’re such an insensitive psychopath.”

In one quick motion, Qyx closed the book and threw it into the open flames The fire grew slightly bigger at the new-found source of fuel. He watched as the front cover burned away. Fyx’s eyes widened in horror.

“ **NO!** ” The scholar cried out. He ran to the flames and attempted to put it out with an exhalation of frost, but Qyx pushed him, knocking him off-balance and missing the blaze entirely. He regained his dignity and stared at the campfire in disbelief, a look of utter shock on his face. The fire melted the leather and burned away the pages, leaving a charred brick of what was once an archive of scientific notes. 

Tears formed in his eyes as Fyx grew furious, a cloud of cold frost began to form around his person. “Qyxidalatos, do you know  _ how much _ data was in there? How much knowledge was kept in that leather-bound notebook?” He seethed at the white scale and gritted his sharp teeth. “ **DO YOU?!** ”

Qyx was taken aback by this emotion Fyx had demonstrated only once before, but he stood his ground. “Is that all you care about? The  _ data? _ What about  _ me?! _ What about my personal feelings? Did you really think I’d want you recording all the horrible things I’m capable of?!” Qyx’s snapped back. He took up a confrontational pose, ready for any physical altercation. Or to dish one out.

“That book was my life. It not only contained scientific notes, but my own personal thoughts and feelings! It’s how I cope with things! It’s how I coped with… all that.”

“ _ All that, _ huh? I’m just a freak of nature to you? Something to be fearful of?” Qyx felt his powers welling and he began to form dark red orbs in his fists. He didn’t do this consciously, but he didn’t seem to mind either way.

“No! You’re more than that! You’re my friend! Honestly!” Fyx reasoned. He still held an air of seething in his voice, but he tried to take a friendly and diplomatic tone. His bodily cloud of ice grew more intense with each word he spoke.

“Yeah, and  **SOME FRIEND YOU ARE!** ” 

Suddenly, Qyx’s orbs took the shape of sharp, pointed shards. A blast of energy lashed out and he threw his arm forward. The knives shot through the air, aimed directly at the frost dracomage. Fyx was taken by surprise and attempted to dodge, but his reaction was not fast enough. Each shard pierced through his body, shattering scale and flesh.

Fyx gasped. He looked down and saw the holes on his body. They shot clean through his robes and hit him right in the upper torso, even managing to hit him in the neck. He clenched at the injuries and began to cough and wheeze, blood coming out of his mouth. Fyx took one last wide-eyed look at Qyx and collapsed to the ground.

At first, Qyx was pleased with this act of vengeance and grinned slyly, but his rage was quickly diminished when he realized what he’d done. A trail of blood trickling out of his nose brought him out of his blind rage. Another life was about to be taken. Not only another life, but the life of his friend. His only friend. Qyx gasped, his scowl replaced with a look of genuine fear and concern.

“Oh no, no… Fyx, Fyx!” He rushed to his side.

Fyx was still breathing, but it was hindered by sounds of gushing blood in his throat. His injuries were bleeding profusely, staining the pristine blue dracomage robes and leaking onto the cold dirt. He coughed more crimson and convulsed, curling into himself. For the first time in his life, Fyx shivered.

“Fyx! No! I-I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry…” Tears welled in Qyx’s eyes as he looked at the blue dracon, his fuchsia eyes also beginning to glisten. The emotions they conveyed were that of betrayal, sadness, but also... acceptance.

“Qyx…” Fyx managed to speak through his gurgled breathing, “I meant what I said, you  _ are _ my friend. I love you like no other,” He coughed more crimson, “I really do.” Qyx hugged him tightly, both dracons crying now, “Guess it’s my fault for being so curious…”

“I’m so sorry… Fyx,  **I’m so sorry!** ”

Fyx returned the hug weakly, still clenching his injuries with his other arm, “Sorry it has to come to this… I… I wish you luck on your journey. I hope… you find what you’re looking for...”

“Please, I-I can help you! Just…” Qyx’s tears flowed down his face, landing on his brown overcoat.

“No, no. I’m sure you think you can. I’ve seen this all before,” Fyx managed a chuckle, but it was interrupted by a hacking cough, “But it never ends the way you want it to.” More tears filled Fyx’s eyes, despite his laughter.

“I-I can’t lose you…you’re my only friend....” 

“I know Qyx, I know… I love you….” Fyx’s breathing became slower as his eyelids became too heavy to keep open. He looked at Qyx one last time before he closed them, still managing a smile.

“No…I can’t...”

Qyx began to form his signature red orb. He was still crying, but he tried to work through it and concentrate. He undid Fyx’s robes to get to the trauma. He would have to care about his decency later, for now, this was dire. Three gushing holes were cut along his upper body among other smaller superficial wounds, each flowing a generous amount of crimson. He focused his magic on the broken areas, moving the orb over the damage. 

Fyx felt himself fading away, but could feel something happening. His pain was starting to cease, being replaced by a more unusual and uncomfortable feeling. He loosened his grip as the pain decreased and his throat cleared up. It felt as though the damage was being clamped down and stitched by an invisible needle; he had never felt anything like it. He could feel his internals mending themselves as his vitals merged back into their proper forms, it was an uncanny feeling.

He managed to open his heavy eyes and looked up at Qyx, who was bleeding heavily, just like he did back at the canyon. He wore a look of despair and concentration as he channeled the orbs into streams of black and red. His tears merged with the blood streams flowing down his face, creating a watery-bloody liquid. The red magic weaved in and out of Fyx’s body, giving the needle & stitches feel. The holes closed up and repaired themselves, growing back not in Fyx’s natural blue scale color, but in the same reddish scars Qyx had.

Just when it looked like Qyx was about to collapse, he finished channeling the magic. He drooped his head in exhaustion and closed his eyes to catch his breath. He breathed heavily and coughed as he looked over his work and then looked at Fyx with a compassionate expression. Qyx lay a hand on his shoulder, then passed out.


	24. Never So Simple

#  Chapter Twenty Four - Never So Simple

Qyx awoke in the dirt, but not in the spot he remembered; he was closer to the campfire now. He looked at his hands, seeing the dried crimson staining them, calling back to the events prior. He couldn’t see his face, but he knew that it probably wasn’t pretty at the moment. The dracon felt sore all over and he had something of a splitting headache. Moving around felt like he had the weight of a thousand footmen on top of him, but he managed to squirm a bit. Slowly, he regained his strength and looked up.

As he got off the ground, he saw a familiar blue dragon, sitting on one of the logs. He had a leather notebook in hand and he was scribbling in it rapidly.

“F-Fyx…” he strenuously rasped out in a weak voice, making an effort to get back on his feet.

“Qyx.” The frost mage replied curtly, not taking his eyes off his work.

The white dragon managed to get up on his wobbly legs. He weakly stumbled over to Fyx and collapsed, wrapping his arms around in a big hug.

“Please… I’m so sorry. For what I did to you.” He whispered into his ear, hugging him tighter at those last words. Already, his tears were reforming.

Fyx remained stalwart, expressing nothing but utter neutrality and disdain. The dracon barely even regarded his counterpart’s limp attempt at a hug. He didn’t move, he didn’t smile, he hardly even looked at him.

“Qyx.”

Qyx couldn’t contain his sobbing. In between tears and sniffles he struggled to conjure any words. “P-Please… I’m sorry… I didn’t mean it!” He bawled.

The blue dracomage simply shook his head. He turned to look at the sobbing dragon, looking directly into his red, tear-filled eyes. Fyx shot his gaze away; he could hardly stand to look at him. He tried to continue writing in his journal, which was proving more difficult with this inconvenience.

“...You don’t forgive me, do you?”

Fyx looked at the fire and sighed. “It’s not every day you can forgive someone for  _ murdering  _ you. I’m in a pretty lucky position.”

Qyx buried his head in Fyx’s coat, “I didn't mean to… On the sky’s name, I DIDN’T MEAN IT.” He dug his claws into his dragon friend. “I love you too much to do that…”

“Qyx, I… I don’t know. You  _ killed _ me. Well, not killed me, but nearly did. I swear I could feel the cold embrace of death enveloping me just moments before.” Fyx sighed once again, “But at the same time, you saved me. I’m not sure what to think.”

The blood dragon’s hug collapsed all at once and he slumped to the ground. In a mess of tears and sobbing, he sat there at Fyx’s feet. He desperately tried to hug his shins, but the scholar made no response.

“No… no…. no!!” Qyx cried. “What have I done? What have I done?!”

His crying made it hard for Fyx to concentrate on writing. He tried to tune him out and continue his work, but the pathetic display in front of him was hard to ignore. This wasn’t going to stop, not at this rate. Fyx sighed and closed his book.

“Qyx. I… I’m not sure. I am honestly torn right now. Not only did you murder me in a fit of rage, but you  _ burned _ my life’s work. Do. You. Know. How much I detest you for that?” He leaned closer, “Do you?”

“Fyx! Please! I beg you! I didn’t mean it!” Qyx yelled in desperation, “I hate myself for what I’ve done! I do! I’m nothing but a vessel of death that killed his only friend! I realize that now!” His red mist started to form once again.

Fyx, despite these cries, sighed and opened his book again. “I’ve been writing down what was in my old journal from memory. It’s not perfect, but I’ve gotten most of the important things.” Fyx flipped another page, “I told you, it’s also how I cope with stress or anxiety. I always have, even at a young age.” He stopped and glared at him, “And you  **destroyed it.** ” 

Qyx sounded like he was apologizing again, but it was hard to tell through his sobs and crying. He just kept clawing at the ground in a fit of self-anger. The red mist was growing more and more thick, just as it did before his outburst.

The cold scholar continued rewriting his notes, even quickly redrawing the sketches. “When my broodmatron told me that the world is a scary and uncertain place, I always looked for something solid to latch onto, something I knew and understood. Something about knowing how the world works puts me at ease, it’s like a sense of understanding." He frowned. “It’s certainly… helping with what happened this night.”

Qyx sat on the log and placed his hands on his face, wiping off some dried blood. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve trusted you. I shouldn’t have suspected you of having a hidden agenda. That was wrong of me.” He breathed a big sigh, “On the sky’s name, I’m so sorry...”

Fyx returned the same sigh, thinking of the right words to say, his eyes darted across random points on the ground. The silence would've been deafening if it wasn’t for the slow crackle of the fire. 

“It’s… not every day someone can be brought back from the brink of death.” Another pause. “You could’ve just left me there to bleed to death, but you didn’t.” He looked Qyx in the eye, which he would’ve if the white dragon wasn’t focused on the crackling flame, “But you chose to save me. You nearly sacrificed yourself just to save me. The fact that you felt guilt and wanted to fix your mistake… I think that says a lot. If I have to say one thing, it’s thank you.” Fyx put a hand on his shoulder, “Thank you, Qyx.”

Qyx didn’t say anything. He was still wracked with guilt and merely shook his head, “This is all because I was nosey. I shouldn’t have been looking at your private journal. It’s all my fault.”

The scholar pressed his lips, “Maybe I should’ve disclosed what I had in here. I should’ve told you I intended to keep them safe and confidential.” He idly paged through more of the restored journal, glancing at each crudely drawn diagram, “That’s the reason I was upset you were looking in it. Everything in there’s strictly for my eyes only. The only information that comes out of it goes into my research documents.” Fyx wanted to scorn Qyx for burning his journal once again, but withheld.

“Fyx, I… your writings, I dunno...”

“What is it?”

“Fyx, if I’m honest, you just seem obsessed. You documented my alignment without my knowledge. It’s a bit creepy.”

The scholar paused in thought and took a breath. “I... can see now why you’d think that. Qyx, I’m sorry for doing that. I should’ve been more transparent. It’s just my tendency to learn everything.”

“Fyx, you need to learn you don’t have to document everything. From day one you’ve had that book in your hand, writing down everything that happens. The only person who called you out on it was Myx back in Daxmyriax. Right now, I’m doing the same.”

“It’s my  _ life. _ It’s my entire existence. There’s a reason I’m so well-respected in the Scholar's Society.”

“Maybe there it’s okay. But here, outside campus, we use our brains and eyes to document things.”

Fyx scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Don’t patronize me. But… I’ll try to refrain from being so analytical.”

Before long, another silence washed over them. Sitting around a campfire, like they had done so many times before. Fyx stopped writing for now and just sat in thought. Qyx couldn’t stop shaking. Despite the warm fire, he was shivering uncontrollably. He was slowly working on wiping off the excess crimson that stained his person.

Qyx clasped his hands together and pleaded, “Fyx, I need to know this, please, even if you leave me here and now, I  _ need  _ to know this. Do you forgive me? I’m so–”

He was interrupted by Fyx lightly placing a finger on his lips. He didn’t say anything at first. “You’ve been… a good friend to me these past few days. I can’t ignore that. A type of friend I’ve never had before. If I’m honest, I don’t want it to end. We’ve been through so much, you and I, and we’ll probably go through twice that amount. For that, I... think I can forgive you.”

At once, Qyx jumped and hugged Fyx tightly. “Thank you…” He started sobbing again. “Thank you…”

Fyx returned the gesture, “You’re my best friend, Qyx. I think we should move on from this. Move on and continue being friends. I’d like that.”

“Yes, I would too.” Qyx stretched his arms, he was still feeling sore, “So what time is it? How long have I been out?”

“An hour or so I’d wager. After you passed out, I moved you by the fire so you would be warm.” Fyx looked up at the night sky, “The moon is still high, we should call it a night and get some sleep. Especially you, you’ll need all your energy for the walking tomorrow.”

Qyx shifted his shoulders, trying to get all the tension out of them, even though he knew he’d have to do it again in the morning, “Yeah, we definitely should. It’s been quite a night. One I’d like to put behind us.”

“Yes. Come on then.”

Qyx got up and made his way to the tent. He noticed the bag of supplies Fyx brought was now resting by a tree near the tent. The white scale crawled inside and got comfortable.

Fyx packed up his travel bag, taking out one small cyan diamond-shaped gem for a quick midnight snack. He readied a frost spell to put out the fire, but the gem had amplified his magic and a large gust of ice blew over the blaze, snuffing it out completely and blowing away some burnt sticks. Fyx stared at the burnt pile of papers sitting in the ashes. For a while, he just sat and contemplated it. Without a word, he picked up his bag and entered the tent, ready to sleep until morning.

The next morning, Fyx was up on a sunny day. He slept later than he usually did on the account of being up so late. Once he was ready, he started cooking the pork and bacon he got in Short End over the fire. He was singing a song to himself quietly while he prepared breakfast, sizzling the bacon on this pleasant morning. He knew the words all too well, so he broke the silence with his tune. A clear sky blessed this day after such an awful night.

Qyx woke up soon after and shuffled out of the tent groggily. He was still feeling weak, even after such a long rest. It felt as though his blood had been frozen and was beginning to thaw, moving slowly through his veins. He walked on over to the campfire log and sat, noting several drops of blood staining the wood.

“Fyx? I didn’t know you sang.”

“Hmm? Oh, good morning.” He continued making breakfast. “Yes, I do know one song. It was something my brood sang while I was young. I still know the words so I usually sing it idly while working.”

Qyx stretched, “Oh, that’s nice.” He said and sat down. “Fyx, I…”

“No, no no. I know what you’re going to say. I know. It’s okay. I’m going to do my best to move on from last night. We all are. I want to continue being friends.”

“I…” Qyx smiled, “Thank you. Thank you so much…” He hugged him from behind. Fyx just kept making bacon, withholding any reaction.

“So we’re having bacon for breakfast?” Qyx observed.

“Indeed. Do you like it crispy or floppy?”

“Crispy please.” 

Fyx presented the frying pan full of fresh pork in front of him, allowing the white scale to pick his favorites. Qyx did indeed choose the crispiest pieces and devoured them in a satisfying crunch. Fyx picked out the leftover pieces and munched on them, letting the greasy morsels hang from his mouth briefly before eating the whole thing.

“You’re a messy eater, Fyx.”

“Yes? You’re one to talk. I’ve seen you scarf down steaks and yellow gems like they were the last of their kind.”

Qyx scoffed, “Yeah, but only when no one’s looking.”

Just then, Qyx noticed the pink-red scars on Fyx’s neck. It was just above his collar, but clearly evident on his blue scales. Qyx knew the sight of scars like that all too well. Fyx just kept munching on the floppy bacon pieces.

“Hey, you got some scars.” He observed.

“Hmm? Oh, yes, I examined them after you passed out. These are… the same ones you have.”

Qyx scratched the back of his head, “Yeah, well, guess now you know.”

“So you have the ability to heal shattered flesh. That’s very interesting, but how does it work?” Fyx inquired.

The blood dragon looked at him, “Whatever I tell you, keep it to yourself.” 

“Qyx. I will. Now tell me more.”

“But yeah, I can do that. I just…” He cast a dark red orb. Seeker tendrils manifested out from within, poking around curiously. “The things move in and out, like a needle and thread. I’ve used it on myself and it feels very weird, as you know.”

Fyx looked closer at this oddity. The tendrils locked onto his snout and reached to heal him, but nothing occurred. He reached his scarred arm and the same effect happened – nothing. Toying with the tendrils with his finger caused them to curl up in response.

“It’s almost as if they’re alive. Interesting.”

“Well, I do have some control over them. You’ve probably seen me use the whip-like spells. Those are just a more powerful version of these. See, watch.”

Qyx turned and aimed at a nearby tree. Clawing his hand, the tendrils grew in size and shot towards his target. The tree got damaged by the attack and would’ve fallen over if he hadn’t dismissed the spell suddenly. Fyx observed intensely, resisting the urge to get his book out.

“I see. Thank you for sharing, Qyx.”

Suddenly, Qyx came and hugged him tight.

“Eager for a hug, Qyx?”

“Guess so. Never know when it might be your last.”

“Hmm, I suppose so. Well, are you ready to go? Or would you rather spend another day in Short End?”

“No, I think I’m ready. I’ve had enough time to prepare. If we had it my way, we’d never go at all.”

For the first time in a while, Fyx smiled, “I see. Well, let’s get all packed up then.”

Before the scholar could get started, he was stopped by Qyx, “Thank you. For being my friend. Through it all.”

“I’ll do my best, Qyxidalatos.”


	25. Fire’s Edge

#  Chapter Twenty Five - Fire’s Edge

The warm air of the Sky’s End made Fyx slightly uncomfortable. It was not unbearable, but he was certainly disturbed by the increased temperature of the rocky pass. Orange plants grew in between the rocks, which would be a zesty snack for any fire dracon. In the evening light, the sky was a red-orange, giving an apocalyptic vibe. It was no wonder this place was called the Sky’s End, this was where the sky goes to die.

Qyx remained on guard, knowing this place was where he was born. He kept an eye out for any signs of life, hoping to avoid any confrontations. Even the echoes of their footsteps put him on edge, mistaking them for the sounds of approaching individuals. He kept close to Fyx, but not too close.

Thinking a snack would calm his nerves, Qyx picked one of the red flowers and ate it. It was spicy, as expected, and tasted fresh, like a garden pepper. He let the zest linger on his tongue and he swallowed the leaves. It didn’t help, but it was interesting to try.

“Did you enjoy that, Qyx?” 

“Oh, uh, it was alright. I was just looking for something to calm with.” Qyx scratched his neck anxiously.

“Just keep an eye out. I don’t want to be ambushed.”

“Yeah, I will.”

After several more minutes of walking, Fyx stopped. He looked around, as if trying to locate something just out of view. He sniffed the air, waved his hand around.

“Do you feel that? I feel magic energy. Fire-attuned energy.”

Qyx tried to feel something, but couldn’t. “No, I can’t. Blood dracons can’t sense elemental energy.”

Suddenly, puffs of clouds surrounded them, revealing dracons teleporting in around them. A dozen red dracons stood before them, fireballs at the ready. Fyx grew visibly worried at them. If there was one, maybe two, he could stand a chance. But a dozen? He’d be a charred pile of ash before he knew it.

“Qyxidalatos.” The middle dracon said. 

The white dracon turned to face the speaker, “You’re one of them, aren’t you?” His eyes widened when he realized who this was, “Max… I… I haven’t seen you in years…”

Qyx’s old childhood friend stood before them. His black mane flew freely in the breeze, his orange eyes staring back at him. Max’s robes blew idly, black geometric patterns on a red base. He still had that facial scar from when they climbed the rocks all those years ago, right above his brow.

“I didn’t expect to see you after your exile.” Max scorned.

“Max, I…” Qyx approached him but he was swiftly stopped.

“No. Don’t move. We’re not friends. Not since I learned what you truly are. You were never supposed to come back, yet here you are.”

“I’m not here to visit you or your brood, we’re just passing by, honest.”

Max scoffed, “Yeah, sure. You realize there’s nothing past this point? Nothing but a land of death. Nice try.”

Qyx grumbled to himself, knowing he wouldn’t get through to Max. He glared at the fire dracon as he observed the both of them.

“And who is this? A frost dracon, here with you?” Max studied Fyx’s form. “You realize we outnumber you. We could kill you in an instant. You wouldn’t even be able to feel the flames.” He pointed to the dracon, “ _ This _ is who you have brought with you when you decided to return to our lands? This?”

“Don’t lay a finger on him. He’s my friend, I won’t let you hurt him.” Qyx growled.

“You’d use your forbidden power on me? As expected for your kind.”

Max returned to looking at the white dragon. His eyes glared over every detail with disgust and disapproval. He frowned at Qyx’s angry face, unintimidated by his attempts to be threatening. He even managed to scoff out of amusement.

“You dare return to your brood after exile. You dare show your face after it was cast out. You dare show such insolence in the word of the elder council.”

“The elders can kiss my cloaca.” Qyx crossed his arms defiantly.

Max scoffed, “We’ll see how well you hold up when you’re brought before them. You’re coming with us.” He signaled the others to grab them both.

The other dracons moved quickly and grappled them from behind. Qyx tried to resist but surrendered, knowing it was futile. Fyx conceded and went willingly, but not without a condescending remark under his breath. Max waved his hand and led the way through the canyon.

They walked in silence. The guards had them gripped tightly, assuring they wouldn’t be able to teleport out of this. Qyx opted to stare at the ground and avoided looking anyone in the face. His tail dragged on the ground lazily with dirt dusting it up. He sighed often.

Finally, they arrived at the dracon village. Built out of the caves and rocks, it was a quiet place, filled with dozens of red dracons. They all looked at the prisoners, gawking at the white-scaled dragon and observing the blue one. Murmurs of speculation permeated throughout, questioning their presence. Qyx still avoided looking at anyone, whether to intimidate them or acknowledge them, he didn’t look up.

They were brought into the big cave at the end and were taken deeper and deeper. They rounded a corner and entered a large chamber with a dug-out space in the middle. Candles and treasures were strewn about the place, decorating the cave dracon-style. 

At the end, three old dracons sat upon three thrones. One male sat on the left, observing the foreigners and twirling his unusually long whiskers. A female sat on the right, but she didn’t seem to be focusing on anyone in particular. Her milky white eyes simply sat and watched the middle of the room, waiting for the newcomers to enter. 

In the middle, in the biggest throne, sat an aged red dracon with a scowl rivaling Qyx. His face was dotted with a lifetime’s worth of dark molted scales and wrinkles. His beard and hair were dirty grey color and frazzled, kept in place with a clip on the back. A large wooden staff sat next to him, leaning against the rock-carved seat. He looked at the white dragon with detest and scorn. Qyx tried to avoid his gaze, but he felt as though he was being watched from every angle. The elder tapped his claws on the rocky throne and watched as the two prisoners were brought before them.

“Elders, I have brought forth two intruders on our land.” Max presented and bowed.

“Yes, you have, Maxitolatas.” The elder looked at both of them, but stared at Qyx in particular. “Sent the frost dracon aside, I wish to speak to this one first.”

Fyx was taken and placed to the side of the room. His arms were freed, but he knew that if he made any move, he’d be killed on the spot. Fyx simply stood and observed.

Qyx was sent into the dug-out space and stood on the rug. He rubbed his hands worryingly and stared at the ground.

The elder spoke, “Qyxidalatos. You were exiled from our brood decades ago. Why have you brought yourself here?”

“I’m not here to-”

“Stop staring at the floor. Look up. Look at me.”

Qyx exhaled and looked up to the elder that cast him out all those years ago. He could never forget that scowling face, that face of loathing disapproval. That image had been burned into his head for years.

“I’m not here to come back, I would never. I’m just passing through, this was the only way.”

“And where do you think you are going? The only place past these mountains is a vast desert filled with desolation.”

“I,  _ we,  _ just need to go there. I promise you I wasn’t trying to invade your land. I would never want to ever come back here.”

“And yet you did.”

“I-”

“Silence. Tell us, why have you brought that frost dracon here? What is his name?”

“Fyxitalitas. He’s just a friend, he means no trouble.”

The elder looked at Fyx with an analytical eye. He studied his outfit, his blue scales, the way he presented himself. He frowned, but disregarded him.

“So, you have managed to get a fellow dracon to ally with you, despite your… ‘alignment’.”

Qyx shook his head, “It’s not my fault I was born the way I was. I didn’t choose to be like this!”

“You were never even meant to be here. If your mother had reconsidered her actions, things would’ve been different.”

Qyx paused for a moment, “Wait, what do you mean by that?”

“Your true mother, she was infertile.”

“...What?”

“You, Qyxidalatos, are not from this brood.”

Qyx stood in silence for a minute, mouth agape. He thought hard about all possible events that could’ve happened. None made sense, nothing made any sense.

The white dragon shook his head, “No… no no, that doesn’t make any sense, how was I born then?!”

“She knew the time had come to contribute to the brood. Pressure was rising from us, from the broodpatron, from her peers. She knew she had to do something.”

Qyx sat on the ground, but he was ordered to stand back up again. Regardless, he couldn’t stop shaking his head in disbelief. His mind was wracked just contemplating this revelation. Fyx, finally feeling some compassion, felt the urge to comfort him, but he knew he was stuck watching.

“We do not know where she got your egg. All we know is that she placed with the others in the egg den. Once your hatch day arrived, we saw the white scales you brandished, saw you were an aberration.”

“Why? Why did you keep me then?”

“It was discussed thoroughly. Debated for days, weeks. Finally, it was decided you would be allowed to live among us, a hybrid, at least until we would have you leave at a mature age.”

That revelation hit Qyx hard, worse than the first one. He could’ve lived a normal life, lived in peace. If only…

“But you know what happened, don’t you?”

“No… please, don’t... I don’t wanna-”

“Around twelve years of age, you would’ve begun resonating with us. There was nothing. Nothing but silence in the magical permeations.”

Qyx covered his head, he didn’t want to relive that day, never again. He hyperventilated helplessly as he listened to them retell the story. He muttered reassurances to himself, but it did little to help.

“You were asked to demonstrate your abilities, to prove you were a partial fire hybrid. You hesitated, thinking of ways to avoid this confrontation. When we pushed you too far, you lashed out in that forbidden magic. It was then we knew what you truly were.”

Qyx nearly crumpled on the ground, knees wobbling. His hands gripped his head tightly, trying to withstand this reliving of his past. He shook his head rapidly, wishing it to end. The dragon closed his eyes tightly with tears forming in his eyes.

When he opened them, he saw his blue-scaled friend looking to him with an expression of interest. When they looked into each other’s eyes, Qyx felt something else. He felt reassurance, compassion, safety. Suddenly, none of the past events mattered. Fyx tightened his focus, observing the blood dracon in his desperate plight. Despite that, Qyx felt a strength he never knew he had before; an inner strength in the deepest part of him he kept isolated and hidden. The strength, to accept.

“You should’ve died when you were abandoned in that thorny overgrowth as a child, Qyxidalatos. How are you still alive?”

“I may have been surrounded by rotting dracon skulls and bodies,” Qyx stood tall and looked at them with renewed vigor, “But I was strong. I crawled my way out of that ditch of death and carried on. I lived for years off of being a vagrant and stealing what I needed. I was not the helpless child you thought me to be, elder. I. Survived.”

“You and your forbidden alignment. How many have fallen to your hand, you monstrosity?”

Qyx nearly conjured a red orb, but stopped himself. He wanted to retort, to prove them wrong, but they were right; Qyx had done some things he’s not proud of. He didn’t have the excuse of being young and inexperienced now. He thought back to the massacre at Burning Hive Pass, the death of Kex in the swamp, how he nearly killed his best friend, the bloodshed he’s committed all his life. Maybe he really was an unhinged vessel of the forbidden alignment, something to be culled before he caused more harm to this world. His posture lowered as he thought about himself.

_ ‘No.’ _ He thought,  _ ‘No, I am not that. I never was. I am not who they think I am. I’m not.’ _

He stood taller and faced them once again, staring the elder down with detest. His red eyes filled his determination, he would not back down, not this time. He looked to Fyx to get some confidence, finding it in Fyx’s unmoving stare. Qyx managed to stare down the elder, but also managed a smug smirk, showing him he wasn’t about to keel over.

“We cast you out because you were an aberration, Qyxidalatos. A mistake to be erased.” The elder glared down.

“I AM NOT A MISTAKE!” Qyx cried out, his red energy lashing out in every direction, but doing not harm. “I’m not  _ any _ of those things, elder. I am a dracon, a person like anyone else. I didn’t ask for this, I don’t  _ want _ any of this. I don’t deserve to be treated like something I’m not.”

Qyx was shot with a blast of fire, stumbling back. “Enough of this insolence! You will not speak to this council in that manner!”

He recovered from the attack, managing to resist some damage and dusted off some soot. He glared at the elders harshly, brandishing his teeth. Slowly, a red cloud was forming around him.

“No. I’ve lived my entire life with your words echoing in my head. Day and night, you were there, haunting me, tormenting me. I’ve never not known inner peace. I’ve never had a clear mind. But I am here to say enough!” He slammed his foot in the ground, “You will not torture me anymore. I am done hearing you in my head. From this day on, I will find peace, I will. You can’t hurt me anymore!”

The elder sat for a minute, watching Qyx taking deep breaths. “If our decision to exile you before wasn’t justified then, it certainly is now. You have proven yourself to be a troublesome whelp.” He conjured another ball of fire and hurled it towards him, but he dodged it this time. “Begone from our lands, abomination. You and your blue counterpart. Should you return, there will be no mercy, no clemency.” He slammed his wooden staff into the ground to rest his case.

“Go fornicate yourselves, you molted-scaled bastards.” Qyx insulted and teleported out.

Fyx watched his friend teleport away in a puff of red smoke. He looked around at the other dracons glaring at him, waiting for him to leave. Without a word, he focused his energy and shifted away. Thick rock wasn’t that hard to teleport through, but still took some focus. He moved quickly past the village and came out on a cliffside.

Fyx found himself kneeled in the fine red dirt. He looked up to see Qyx, sniffling and looking over a vista. His arms were crossed and he faced away. He looked at the orange setting sun coming down over the dark mountains.

“Qyx? You alright?” He walked up behind him.

“I… I’ve wanted to tell them that for years. My entire life.” The white dragon wiped a tear from his eye as he watched the sun set. “I finally did it. I did it, with you by my side.” Qyx looked to his friend and hugged him tightly. “Thank you, Fyx, for being there with me.”

“I...” Fyx hugged him back, patting him lightly. “I will say, I’m proud of you for standing up for yourself. Well done.”

“Ah, well, I’ve had about twenty-five years to prepare for it, so.” He chuckled through his crying.

“Twenty-five? How old are you again?”

“Um, thirty-seven. Thirty-seven… as of today.” Qyx scratched the back of his neck.

“Well then, I suppose this calls for celebration, yes? You said you wanted to celebrate your hatchday, so let’s do it.” Fyx pointed at nowhere in particular. “Come then, let’s get out of here. It’s getting dark.”

“Yeah, I’m done with this place. Let’s keep going.”

Fyx got out his map and frowned at the sight, “It seems no one’s mapped out this area. How are we supposed to navigate this place in the dark? Setting up camp is not an option with how close we are to the brood.”

Qyx crossed his arms again and looked over the view. Below, he spotted something, “Hey, look down there.”

An orange dot stood out against the coming darkness, down in the lower area. It was hard to distinguish, but his keen eye spotted it.

Fyx stroked his chin, “A torch? Are you sure that’s not just more fire dracons?”

“No, the village was back there, we’re past it. Besides, that’s just one little torch, not enough for another town. I say we check it out, it’s our best hope right now.”

The blue dracon chuckled, “I suppose it is, I’ll meet you down there, by that large rock, ready?”

“Ready.”

At the same time, the dracons disappeared from view, leaving red and blue clouds in their wake.


	26. Three-and-a-Half’s a Crowd

#  Chapter Twenty Six - Three-and-a-Half’s a Crowd

Both dracons teleported next to each other. Qyx had to catch his breath after such a massive jump, so he lay up against the large rock and rested. Fyx joined him by his side and filled his lungs.

Fyx sighed greatly, “Well, we made it. That light is just around the corner, we’re close.”

“If it’s just some weird plant, guess it’ll be for nothing.”

“Seems strange a glowing plant would be growing in this environment, but I’ve seen stranger things in life.”

They both got up and started on the path. It was quiet in the mountains, eerily quiet. Combined with the shrouding night, it gave cause for fear, keeping both dracons on edge. A crunching stick under his foot nearly caused Qyx to have a heart attack, but he sighed in relief it was himself.

They rounded the corner where the torch would be, but found nothing. They looked to each other with confusion. Fyx took a few cautious steps forward to investigate, with Qyx following behind. He drew his sword, ready for any danger.

Fyx got close to the site and found a burnt-out campfire. One large rock sat next to it, clearly meant as a seat. It was pitch black now, making it hard to discern any details, so he got low and scrounged around. Fyx found some consumed bones and branches, cooked by the former fire. He took one of the leg bones and observed it closely, finding bite marks all over it.

“Dracon bite marks.”

“Wha-, dracon? Does someone live here?”

Their questions were answered when they heard the faint sounds of talking in the nearby cave.

“ Do they  _ look _ like they’re from the brood? The blue one, really? ” A faint feminine voice said.

“ Well excuse me for tryin’ to be careful! ” A male argued.

Fyx squinted his eyes and crept closer to the entrance. He leaned against the wall and waited. It was quiet, so much so he could hear the sounds of worried breathing just around the corner. He debated his next move carefully in his head.

He rounded the corner quickly and saw just who was here. To his confusion, he saw only one silhouette in the dark. Despite there being one, he heard two people screaming.

“AAAAGH!!”

“Don’t hurt us!”

This took Fyx off guard and he gasped, “What?! How?!”

“We’ll leave, we promise!” Said a male voice.

“I already told you, he’s not from the brood! He’s a frost dracon!” The female chided.

Fyx wracked his head trying to think, “Wait, I hear two people, but see only one.”

“Uhhh...”

“Umm.”

“Is there… a problem? Wait…” Fyx stroked his chin. There was no way this was what he thought it was. “Are… are you…?”

No one spoke. The figure shifted around awkwardly and waited.

The female sighed, “Well, I suppose there’s no hiding it.”

“Hiding what, my friend?”

The figure picked something off the ground and gripped it worryingly. They took a deep breath and spewed fire onto the object. The torch lit up and revealed a red dragon with orange hair, looking wearily at Fyx. He looked at Fyx briefly before looking to his side at a beige-scaled female, a sky dracon. At first, it looked as though she was uncomfortably close to him, but as he moved the torch away, it revealed they were in fact conjoined together in one body. A two-headed dracon stood before him, red on one, yellow on the other. 

Fyx took a breath in awe, “I’ve… never seen anything like it. I’ve heard of dracons born with two heads, but they are incredibly rare! Fascinating, what are your names?”

“I’m Tyx.” The red male said.

“I’m Nax. Together, we’re TyxNaxigelitos.” Nax bowed her head. “We were born to the nearby dracon brood, but were abandoned quickly. We’ve lived our life here in these mountains. There is nowhere in the world for us.”

Fyx studied their form closely, simply infatuated with the prospect of getting a look at such a rare specimen. 

“Fyx?” Qyx called from outside the cave, “Everything alright?”

“It’s okay, there’s no danger. Come on over.” Fyx gestured for him to approach.

Qyx came in and jumped at the sight, “Woah! What? Two heads?!”

“Be calm, my friend. They mean no harm.”

TyxNax went outside and lit the campfire and sat down on the rock. Nax gestured for them to join. The visitors sat across the fire and gazed into the flame. This blaze was a welcome source of heat on this cold night. Qyx wrapped his tail around and held it for warmth.

Tyx looked up, “So, what brings you to our home? No one knows we’re here.”

“We’re here passing through to the Plains of Extinction. We have a goal in mind.” Fyx explained.

Both siblings raised an eyebrow. “A goal? In that desert? Are you sure?” Nax exclaimed.

“Yes. Trust me, what we may or may not find there is of high importance.”

Tyx grabbed a bone off the ground and chewed on it. “What’re you after exactly?”

Fyx paused. He looked to his travel partner, “Uh, well…”

“It’s okay, Fyx. I’ll tell them. I figure there’s no harm in telling these two. We’re both victims of exile.” Qyx conjured a red orb, letting it pulsate in his palm. “I… I’m not aligned with any of the four elements.”

Tyx regarded the magic with suspicion, his sister looked at it with intrigue. Qyx let the black flakes orbit his ball of magic and he watched the crimson whips dance around without care.

“Sooo… what are you then?” Tyx asked.

Qyx closed his fist and dissipated the orb, “I’m a blood dracon.”

Tyx’s pupils shrank as he heard those words. He looked to his sister, where she met him with a disapproving look. Still though, she looked to Qyx with a suspicious expression.

“Blood dracon. I should’ve known.” Nax shook her head. “The white scales, the red hair, the little red pock marks all over your face.”

“Have you seen them before?” Fyx asked.

“Once. Twice, now that we’ve met you, uhh...”

“It’s Qyx. I’m not looking for trouble, just closure. I’ve been this way all my life. I’ve been unable to live a normal life thanks to this curse.”

Nax nodded, “I suppose we’re one in the same, Qyx. We’re a freak of nature, born with two heads and two minds. No one would ever accept us in society.”

Fyx was already writing in his book. “Have you ever ventured out of this mountain?”

Tyx spoke this time, “Well… no. Granted, we’ve never actually tried to approach another society, but there’s no way we could ever live without strange looks or murmurs behind our back.”

“Even though my brother’s a nervous wreck, we both agree on that point. Dracons already couldn’t accept us, why would any other species?”

Qyx stared to the ground solemnly. He looked up to the conjoined dragons, “You two don’t deserve a life of scavenging and living in a cave. You don’t have any malicious intent. You don’t have an alignment in a forbidden element. You two are pretty normal, all things considered. I think you have a real chance at living normal lives.” He looked around the mostly barren camp, “Sometimes, all it takes is one person to accept who you are to make you feel it’s okay. Even if you make just one friend in a new life, that’s a big step in acceptance. It’s a constant reassurance that you are accepted and cared for. Someone to talk to, someone to hug, someone to love.”

“But… what if they just don’t like us? They think we’re a freak?”

Qyx pressed his lips, “Some people hold onto their prejudices hard, they won’t let go of their instincts.” He looked to his blue-scaled companion, “But there are still people out there who can look past the exterior, who can see past the veil of abnormality and see who you truly are – you just need to find that person. All it takes is one to change your perception of the world forever.”

Tyx stared off into space, his eyes glistening in the light. Nax looked to the white dragon with a new hope forming in her soul. Even she couldn’t resist the watering of her eyes and wiped them away. She clasped her hands together weakly.

“I… thank you.” She looked to Tyx, who was still avoiding eye contact, “Thank you. I’ve,  _ we’ve _ never heard anyone say anything like that in all our lives.”

Qyx nodded reassuringly and formed a genuine smile, “Yeah, I’m only speaking from experience. Tell you what, when we - er,  _ if _ we come back from the desert, we’ll find a home for you two. No one will say a thing to a pack of dracons coming into town, we’ll be by your side.”

“I’d love that, Qyx. I’d say your full name, but...”

“Qyxidalatos. You can call me that anytime, Naxigelitos. You too, Tyxigelitos.”

The red-scaled brother finally looked at Qyx and wiped his eyes, “Yeah, for sure. Thank you.”

They shared a light laughter all around. Fyx looked at his friend, “Qyx, that’s the sweetest, most compassionate thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

“I don’t want to see another dracon go through what I’ve been through. No one deserves that.”

While her brother sobbed and thought to himself, Nax turned her attention to Fyx, “So, a frost dracon traveling with a blood dracon passing through a fire dracon territory. What’s your story?”

“Well, I met this one several days ago. He accompanied me on my mission in Uyxstilix, where we resolved the situation. Afterwards, we decided to travel together. The original plan was to have him accompany me back home, but things got complicated. Long story short, we’re on our way to find the legendary last bastion of the blood dracons.”

“Last bastion? So that’s why they come through here. You’re saying there’s a fortress of blood dracons somewhere out in that giant desert?”

“Well, we don’t know that. In fact, we’re just chasing a myth. We don’t know whether we’ll find a paradise of white-scaled dracons, or go mad chasing ghosts of the past.”

Nax exhaled, “Wow. This changes everything. Good luck out there. I wouldn’t dare venture out there myself, but you seem to have a goal in mind. If it turns out to be a bust, come back to us, we’ll still be here.”

Fyx nodded, “We’ll keep that in mind, Nax.”

Nax looked at her brother and ran a hand on his cheek, “Hey, you done?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes, I’m okay. Just thinking.” 

Nax nodded, “Good to hear.” She turned to the rest of the group, “So, you guys wanna stay here for the night? I don’t imagine you two want to head into the desert in the dark.”

“It’d be a pleasure, Nax.” Fyx smiled.

Qyx concurred, “Yeah, I could use a rest after today.”

“Great! Not every day we have guests. In fact, we never do!”

Fyx chuckled, “Yes, good to have guests. Especially ones celebrating a special day today.” He looked to the white scale.

“Wha-, oh, nah, you don’t have to do that, Fyx.” Qyx shook his head.

“It’s his hatch day, he’s thirty-seven years old. Dracons don’t celebrate birthdays, but we decided to have one anyway, for him.”

Qyx scratched the back of his neck and chuckled nervously, “I-It’s fine, really. You don’t have to go all out.”

Tyx spoke up, “Celebrating the day you were born? Interesting. Should we be doing that too, sister?”

“Uh, I dunno.” She shrugged. “Could be cool.”

Fyx opened his bag of goods, “Come now friends, let’s feast.”

Qyx was unimpressed, “Yeah, we’re going to need that food for our trip, Fyx.”

“Now now, I’ll make sure we don’t overeat. This is a special occasion between new friends!” 

Fyx passed out appropriately-colored gems for each dracon. Nax nibbled on a sky jewel, Tyx licked a ruby gem, and Fyx popped little cyan crystals into his maw. Qyx, however, got a special gift - a large yellow gem as big as his hand.

“Fyx, where did you get this? This is giant!” He looked at the rock from all angles.

“It was one of the things I bought while in Short End, right before you…” Fyx shook his head of bad memories, “Regardless, it’s for  _ you, _ Qyxidalatos. Enjoy!”

“Huh, thanks, Fyx.” 

Qyx took his first bite into the sweet gem. The taste of honey and sugar washed over him like a wave of sweet goodness. He licked the smoothly cut side of the gem and lapped at the jagged bitten side, making sure to get every angle. He juggled it around his mouth like it was a game and crunched it beneath his teeth. The sky’s gift to him, given in the form of a candy rock only dracons could eat. He simply couldn’t deny the absolute flavor of sugary sweetness that now enveloped his taste buds and turned his saliva into a slurry of saccharine syrup. This was why Qyx had a sweet tooth; why he loved sky gems.

“This is so good.”

“You’re tellin’ me.” Nax said, still taking little bites out of her crystal. “I’m eating it slowly, so that I don’t waste it.”

Qyx took another chomp, “You won’t have to savor things if you lived in society. Trust me, you’ll be so much happier.”

“Yeah, I know. I just hope you two come back and help us. You’re the biggest bit of hope we’ve had in a long time.”

“We’ll do what we can, Naxigelitos.” Fyx said in between bites of blue, “I can’t guarantee what’ll happen in the Plain of Extinction, but if we return, we’ll take you with us.”

“We’d really appreciate that.” Nax said and looked up at the night sky. “Say, we were actually about to head to bed. You guys set, or?”

Fyx patted the tent bag, “No need to worry, we have a tent and sleeping bags. We’ll set up out here.”

“Wow, prepared.” Tyx regarded while eating the last of his red gem. “Well, we’re going to sleep. Good night!”

“Farewell!”

“See you tomorrow.” Qyx waved.

After sleeping the night away, Fyx and Qyx woke up before the dracon twins. It was a clear sky day, but not too hot yet. It would no doubt get hotter in these mountains as well as in the endless desert. For that, Fyx had been perfecting the right amount of frost breath to exhale when Qyx wanted some cooling and for himself. 

“The twins aren’t awake.” Fyx remarked. “Should we check on them?”

“Guess so. I want to take advantage of the cool air right now.”

Both of them made their way into the cave and found the pair sleeping on their cot. Their living area was sparsely occupied, with only a few furnishings placed about. Some kind of desk, a shelf sat in the corner, and various spare gems or bones were scattered around.

Fyx crept up to the sleeping dragons, knowing full well the cardinal rule to never wake a sleeping scalie, and snuck up to their side. He observed their sleeping form, pondering what happens when one is asleep and the other is awake. Regardless, he poked at Tyx’s shoulder.

“AAAAAAGH!” He screamed, waking his sister up, “What?! What’s happening?”

“TYX! Shush. It’s just Fyx.”

“What? Oh, wait, yeah! Now I remember.” Tyx waved, “Hi, good morning.”

“Good morning to you two, too.” Fyx greeted. “We’re about to head out. Ready to see us off?”

“Oh, yes, I wouldn’t dream of letting you go without a proper goodbye.” Nax stated, “Especially Qyx.” She smiled, thinking of the white scale.

“Well, I’ll meet you out there once you’re ready.” Fyx urged and headed out.

After TyxNax got ready, they exited the cave. All three-and-a-half of them made their way through the treacherous mountainscape and to the cliffside. There, Qyx and Fyx got their first view of the Plains of Extinction. 

Endless sand for miles and miles, painted orange with the rising sun. The skeletons of once massive fish scattered across the land, evidence of the once higher sea levels. Not a single sign of life in sight for acres of dusty sand and bones. It may be possible that Fyx and Qyx may be the only living things there once they entered the desert. The blood dragon took a deep breath and took in the sight.

“So, you’re heading out there.” Nax observed. “It’s your last chance to back out. Can stay here with us. Or let us come with you back home. I don’t mind either.”

Qyx looked at his friend, who did the same. Wordlessly, they both agreed that this was the right call.

“Sorry, but this is my destiny.” Qyx said. “I just want to have some closure.”

“Indeed. I’m here to accompany him.”

“I see, I see. How will you manage to find you way back?”

Fyx produced his large snack bag. “I will be leaving a breadcrumb trail. I can sense the presence of these blue gems.” He also got out a bottle of blue-colored liquid, “As well as leaving markers of our journey. I’ll paint signs on landmarks.”

“Well, best of luck to you.” Nax pointed at the path down. “There’s your way out. Stay safe out there.”

“Oh, don’t mind the broken rally beacon down there. It’s the last one you’ll find.” Tyx pointed out.

“Broken rally beacon? What a depressing sight.” Fyx observed it down the path. 

Qyx smiled at the twins, “Well, thanks for letting us stay, TyxNax. We’ll be back if we can.” 

“Hopefully. Take care, our friends.”

Despite likely not being used in years, the path was smooth and easy to navigate. Only a few bushes grew on the sides between the rocks. At the end was the broken rally beacon, now up close. The gold was rusty and the once blue light was shattered and broken. Regardless, they pressed on into the endless wastes, searching for a legend.


	27. On the Forsaken Sands

#  Chapter Twenty Seven - On the Forsaken Sands

Qyx was bored, no doubt about it. He kicked his foot idly in the dirt, causing dust to fly up. He exhaled through his nostrils and looked at an unusual tree. It almost appeared to have a face in its bark. The face smiled, taunting the dragon with its goofy grin. Qyx frowned back.

“Would you like to play cards?”

He turned to look at Fyx, who was presenting a square leather pouch. Fyx smirked and shook the pouch as a way of tempting him.

“What game?”

“Quad Pro Quo!” Fyx stated eagerly.

“Oh,  _ that _ game. I just don’t get it. Too many numbers for me to care about.” Qyx went back to staring at the tree face; it was the most interesting thing here.

“Have you even tried it?”

Qyx frowned again, “Uh, well… no. I haven’t.”

“You can’t say you don’t like it if you haven’t played it.” Fyx unwrapped his cards.

The white dragon scoffed and rolled his eyes, “Ugh, fine. One game. Just don’t expect a rematch.”

“It’s quite simple really.” Fyx presented two cards. “The numbers represent how strong a card is on one side. If the numbers are bigger than the other, that card wins and the other card is yours!” He flipped the second card to represent this concept.

Qyx was unimpressed, “Is that really it? Sounds boring.” He shook his head.

“Now, there’s more to it. See the symbols and the colors?” He pointed to a circle with a small blue snowflake. “That means the card has an element. If two cards of opposite elements fight, you get a bonus!”

Qyx’s disapproving frown was bigger than ever. “This all just sounds like a more boring version of an arena fight. I’d rather watch two dracons battle it out. At least then there’s some excitement.”

“Hmph. Fine, but just one game, as you said.” The blue dragon dealt the cards out evenly, making sure both parties had eight.

Qyx looked at his hand. There were portraits of kobolds and dracons on each of them. He mirrored a certain red dracon’s scowl.

“You first. You’re gold.” Fyx clarified

“Uh...okay then.” The blood dracon considered all his cards again. A vengeful skeleton grabbed his attention. “This one looks cool, I choose this one.”

“Vice of Revenge, a striking image.” 

“You know about the Lines? I never got into them.”

Fyx looked over his hand, “Not too much, but I like to learn about other cultures. Besides, the Lines came true some years ago. Hard to avoid them in that regard.” He placed his card to the bottom of the opposing one. He flipped the opposing card from gold to silver.

Qyx was taken aback, “What?! How does a frail old man beat  _ my _ skeleton?”

“It’s the numbers, see? Seven beats both three and four, meaning I take this card.”

“This is why I don’t play these games.” The dracon grumbled. He looked over his cards again, comparing. “Ahah! This card has sky on it, sky beats nox.” Qyx slammed his card down and flipped the silver to gold. “Besides, this girl has a sword. That old guy stands no chance.”

Fyx chuckled at his partner reveling in this small victory. “Quick learner, huh? Well done.”

Qyx smirked and nodded proudly. “Getting back to the Lines, why do people still care about them nowadays if they’re over?”

“Lines Three through Ten were a prophecy; a warning of things to come; those Lines are pretty much irrelevant in this age. However, the First and Second Lines are still looked at as guidelines to life, regardless of religious views. Embracing the Aspects and avoiding the Vices is a virtuous way of living.” Fyx places another card, beating the sword girl with an angry black dracomage.

“Hrmph. Alright, but can you beat  _ red _ dracomage?” The fire card entered the field and countered the frost element, gaining Qyx the lead.

“Oh I can, with another black dracomage!” A stoic version of the previous black dragon took over.

A human brawler came down to Qyx’s aid and flipped the dragon card to gold. “I win this round, Fyxitalitas.”

The aforementioned dragon pouted and adjusted his collar, staring down his opponent. “So we are using full names now? If that’s the way it is, Qyxidalatos.” Fyx’s yellow kobold came in to take over the tall man. “Sky beats nox. I gain plus one and a half whenever they clash.” Fyx smiled proudly at his strategic thinking.

“Hey, you called me my full name first.” Qyx’s next move was a cowering kobold. It battled the vindictive skeleton and took it back for the gold army.

The blue dracomage twirled one of his whiskers and placed a clear sky card. The Aspect of Presence was quick to revert the Vice of Revenge back to silver. Another grumble came from the white dragon.

Qyx took note of a certain card and placed it down. “Why’s this one look all scared? You’d think a green dracon wouldn’t need to fear if he has the power of nox. I mean, just think of Kex.” The large numbers combined with the nox counter was too much for the Aspect and it surrendered to the attack.

“I’m not at all sure, I got this card deck back in Skyweather. Every area of the world has a different set of pictures, usually of notable people or local heroes.”

“Heroes, huh? I’ve seen people out there with their own cards and not all of them are heroes.” Qyx pondered a card with a cowering drakeling. He had nowhere else to put it, so he opted for the top-right corner.

“Well, no one is stopping them from making their own custom ones. So long as the card is a reskin of an existing card, it's permitted in tournament play. Plenty of artists live off of making vanity Quad Pro Quo cards.” Fyx giggled when he chose his next card and covered it as he placed it down. Qyx’s mouth opened when he saw it was a portrait of Fyx himself, smiling with a hand to his chin.

“You? Wow.”

Fyx couldn’t suppress his snickering and burst out laughing. “Yep! I got that made for me!” He picked up the card and presented it. “Looks just like me, doesn’t it?”

Qyx made a goofy grin and struggled to keep a stoic demeanor, “Wow. Where can I get one of my own?”

“Anywhere there’s artists. We’ll look around next time we’re in civilization. They’re a lucrative opportunity for the creatively inclined.”

In all the absurdity, Qyx had forgotten to play his hand. There were only three spots left to fill, so he had to make this count. Out of the two cards left, he chose the worried man as his penultimate move. Ironically, this move converted Fyx’s vanity card onto Qyx’s side.

“Qyxidalatos, I think you may just win this one.” Fyx had spent all of his good cards at the start of the game, a common mistake by him. With no other cards available, he placed his aggressive kobold inbetween many of Qyx’s cards, with them all ending in stalemate.

With one card left, Qyx placed the stoic female dracon in the middle of many silver cards, flipping one of them as insult to injury. With that, Qyx had won with ten cards.

Fyx gave a light golf clap, “Well done! Your first game and you won!”

“Meh, I just chose the ones with big numbers, or the coolest ones.”

“Regardless, you gave it a try and you came out on top. Congratulations.” Fyx patted him on the back.

“Maybe Quad Pro Quo isn’t so bad. I think I like it.”

“Ahh, turning a corner I see? We simply must play more sometime. For now, it’s time we end our break and head out.”

Fyx got up and packed their bags. Qyx gathered his belongings and headed out with him. The Plains of Extinction were devoid of much life. Despite the name, there were some creatures scuttling about. Little lizards or rodents, hungry vultures circling above. Qyx hoped those birds weren’t considering them as their next meal.

The scholar conjured some ice with his hand and directed the energy into his mouth. This magic was used as a makeshift way of providing hydration. Though, given the complete lack of frost element in the area, Fyx had a difficult time manifesting his abilities.

"Man, it's real hot." Qyx wiped his head.

"Thank you for that blatant observation."

"Well, yeah, it is."

"Yes, I know. I'm a frost dracon in a desert wasteland, of course I can tell it's hot. You don't see me complaining." Fyx retorted, leaving several more gems as they walked.

"Alright, I get it!"

"I certainly hope we don’t stay here long. If I don’t find a frost energy source, I may not last long here."

"Yeah… I guess I should've known. Um… how long would you say?"

"Well, given our current supply of frost items, I'd say several months. Only one month at worst. Tell me, Qyx, what if we never end up finding your people?"

Qyx stamped a foot, "No way. Your life is worth far more than some myth. If things get bad, we'll go home."

Fyx finally smiled, "That's flattering."

"Of course. I do mean that. You already… died once because of me. I won't let it happen again."

"I suppose I'd have to forgive you if it meant you get to live a happier life among your kind."

Qyx shook his head, "No, I wouldn't deserve forgiveness. I barely deserved it the first time."

"Please, don't worry. I  _ do _ forgive you for that. The only thing I haven't forgiven was…" Fyx wanted to vindicate him again for burning his beloved journal, but stopped himself.

"You're such a good friend. Why do you stick with me?"

"A mixture of companionship, trust, and instinctive curiosity." He raised a finger for each.

"Hrmm…" Qyx grumbled. "Speaking of curiosity, check that out." He pointed to a skeleton buried in the sand.

They got a closer look at the dead bones. The head of a horned creature gazed up at them from its empty sockets; a permanent scowl formed by its browline. Sharp teeth, not unlike their own, grew out from the mouth, though some were missing. A long, lanky body accompanied the head, slithering in the dirt.

"It's like a… dragon." Qyx speculated.

"Antiquity dracon?" Fyx added and dusted off the bones.

"The what now?"

"An antiquity dracon. These were the forms our great ancestors took. At least, from our understanding."

Qyx shook his head, "What? How did we evolve from this big noodly thing?" He took note of the skeleton's long, slender form.

Fyx took notes of the skeleton's long, slender form, "Can you see the resemblance? Same horns, same skull shape, same overall design."

"I  _ guess _ I can see it. Still though, just weird to think about."

"Yes, we allegedly have a skeleton just like this in the historical wing of the Society, though I've never seen it."

"Huh. Wait…" Suddenly, Qyx backed up quickly, "Wait, didn't this used to be a sentient being!? I feel a bit… uncomfortable knowing I'm poking at someone's corpse."

Fyx simply continued studying the bones, "Relax, they've been dead for centuries."

Qyx sighed, "Well, you always hear about dracon spirits. How they keep living in the elemental plane after death."

"There is credence to that theory; I've actually done some research into it. A dracon's place of death does have a noticeable increase in the elemental energies in that area. For example, if a frost dracon died, I could sense a flux in power in the environment."

"Sooo, are ghosts real or not?"

"Not enough evidence."

After marking the location with the blue fluid, Fyx left a gem or two and continued on.

Qyx questioned the use of blue gems, “So, these gems, you sure you don’t want to save them? Might need them for later.”

“Ah, this is the best option. I can sense them, even if they’re buried. If and when I want to head back, I’ll be able to pick up on the trail.”

“And get a snack on the way?”

“Yes, though these gems aren’t much, hence why I’m using them. In a pinch, I suppose they can sustain me, but I wouldn’t count on it.”

“Better than nothing.” Qyx concluded.

Hours, days; it didn’t seem to matter at this point. These sands offered no respite. The days were long and sweltering; the nights were frigid and harsh. Despite it all, they pressed on, hoping to find something tangible. The bones that were buried in the dirt served as a reminder of the fate that awaited them.

“A myth. A legend.” The blood dracon muttered to himself.

“Pardon?”

“Why are we here?”

Fyx took a quick glance at his blue scales, “To find your people. A place for you to live free of judgement.”

“Fyx. Do you see where we are? Do you  _ see _ the desolate wasteland we’re in? Why are we here? What do we truly hope to accomplish?”

“If more people had your mindset, we’d still be in the dark ages.”

Qyx grumbled, “Don’t smartmouth me. We’re going to wind up dead. Food for the vultures.”

“Smartmouthing’s my job, Qyxidalatos. Head back east if you’re tired of it.”

The blood dracon opened his mouth to say something, but stopped short and disregarded his comment. He huffed in frustration and crossed his arms to bundle against the coming wind.

“Sometimes I feel you didn’t actually forgive me.” He muttered.

“What? Qyx. Stop. I don’t want to hear that. Stop dwelling in the past. What’s done is done and we’re going to do our best to move on.”

“I…” The white scale struggled to find words. “You just seem more… snappy as of late. Like little things annoy you that never did before. Especially with me.”

“Astute observation. What are you going to do to change that?”

“Ummm.... not do little annoying things?”

“Then that is what you must do.”

Qyx meekly lowered his head, “Sorry.”

Fyx stopped in his tracks, signalling his partner to as well. He sighed and crossed his arms, thinking to himself. He stood in silence, watching the dunes blow by. Despite the sand not getting into his eye, he still felt them on the brink of watering. Without warning, he pulled Qyx into a hug, prompting a strange squeak to come out of the blood dracon.

“I’m sorry.” Fyx confessed.

“Are you okay?”

The scholar didn’t answer.

“It’s okay, Fyx. Let’s just keep going, okay?”

“Yes, I concur. I’ll try to be better.”

Qyx nodded, “Yeah, let’s both be.”


	28. In Bloody Footsteps

#  Chapter Twenty Eight - In Bloody Footsteps

“Qyx.”

The white dracon was resting his legs in the sand, looking off in the distance. He had lost track how much time had passed since they’d entered this sky-forsaken wasteland. It felt like months, even years. This wasn’t the first time he had regrets setting foot here, thinking about turning back and leaving this place to rot away as it always had for centuries. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea to wander the desert chasing a myth. They’ll just be another set of victims to the Plains of Extinction at this rate. The dracon sighed in contempt as he considered the ribcage of some unknown animal buried in the sand. It’d be a mercy to end up like that at this rate.

“Qyx.” The blue dragon called him again.

“What.”

“There’s something here, look!” Fyx pointed over the dune. 

The white scale grumbled something under his breath, dusted off the back of his coat and clambered over to his partner. Turns out, there was nothing. Nothing but the vast wasteland to behold. 

Qyx frowned, “What am I looking at?”

“How do you not see it? Look! Look at the horizon.” Fyx pointed to the mountain range in the distance.

Qyx squinted, trying to make out what this crazy dracon could possibly see. Perhaps he was already growing old, or maybe the desert was getting to him, as he still saw nothing. He looked harder, trying to align his gaze with Fyx’s pointing. 

There. Right there, he saw it. A thin plume of smoking trailing out of somewhere in the mountain range. The black trail stood against the bright background of the sky, but still very hard to see if one was not paying attention.

“Smoke…”

“This  _ has _ to be it, there’s no other way.”

“I… there’s no way. I’m not ready to believe this is true. Surely we’re just chasing a legend right now? The ghosts of the bloody past?” Qyx crossed his arm skeptically.

“Maybe. Maybe it’s just a small brushfire or some kind of volcanic activity.” Fyx turned to look at the blood dracon, “But it’s the best lead we’ve got. I didn’t travel this far to just turn back now. We have to at least see what it is.”

Qyx shook his head, “It’s just too good to be true. Like it’s just too easy.”

Fyx dropped his curious demeanor, now looking at the white dragon with contempt and disbelief. “What part of this journey has been easy, Qyxidalatos? What part? We have been to the horizon and back, you and me; there’s been absolutely nothing easy about these past few days with you. We have been through so much just to get here. So. Much. Nothing about our journey’s been easy, Qyx. Nothing.” 

“I just… okay, I’m sorry. I just don’t want all of this to have felt like a big waste of time. This my life we’re talking about, I’ve struggled my entire life to find where I belong; I don’t want it to lead up to nothing.”

Fyx sighed and crossed his arms. After a moment, he hugged Qyx, “Sorry. I just care about you, Qyx. I know I may not have been my nicest as of late, but I want to help you find this, together. If this really all turns out to be nothing... well, maybe we can figure something out, just you and me.” He nuzzled his snout with his own and looked him in the eyes and smiled.

Qyx returned the nuzzle, “Right, we’re in this together. Until the end.”

“Until the end. Now let’s go.”

They set out to follow the smoke trail. Dracon prints left behind in the dirt, which were blown away in the breeze. Somehow, Qyx didn’t feel hot in his overcoat. Despite being of the forbidden element, maybe he really was part fire. As they drew closer to the mountains, the black smoke was much more noticeable, making it easy to pinpoint. Soon, they would find answers.

By the time they were near the source of the smoke, the sun had begun to set. Orange evening light bathed the desert, cooling it from the merciless heat from before. Dead trees cropped up as they hiked through the mountain pass, some already keeled over and blocked parts of the path. What served as a ‘trail’ was nothing more than the spot where bushes and debris were the least dense. The thorny branches reached out to scratch the dragons on the ankles, though their scales resisted the attempts.

Turning around a canyon corner, they encountered something peculiar: a pile of rocks blocking their way. This was no ordinary rock slide, these seemed to have been deliberately placed; it was almost  _ too _ well optimized at blocking the path. Fyx inspected the rocks for stability, tapping them to make sure they wouldn’t topple over if a sudden weight was placed on top. After determining their safety, he nodded and teleported to the top, signalling the white scale to follow.

When Qyx reappeared in a red smoke cloud, he looked to see what lay ahead. He gasped when he saw a gravesite. Dozens and dozens of totems all planted in the ground were neatly organized in a grid-like fashion. He looked to Fyx, who shared an equally perplexed look. They teleported down to have a closer look.

There were skull-like carvings of dragonic origin; the horns and snouts gave that away. These totems were well-organized in this small clearing, all the same distance from each other. Fyx bent down to look at a carved rock that sat at the base. ‘Kix’ it read. Another rock read ‘Pax’. ‘Mux’, ‘Jix’, ‘Lox’. There was no doubt now that this was a burial site for a dracon brood. Given the state of the totems themselves, it seemed to be a particularly old one. 

The blue dragon looked to Qyx, who was staring intently at one of the totems. He was entranced by the empty eye sockets of the dracon facsimile, almost as if it was speaking to him with silent words. Slowly, he reached his hand out. 

Red energy began to form around the skull stick, coming out from the ground and the orifices of the skull. Qyx channeled this energy without effort, almost as if he had done it countless times before. The red smokey tendrils went up his arm and absorbed into his body when he closed his fist. He exhaled and looked himself down, feeling the energy he’d just taken in.

“I feel… empowered.”

“Was that..?”

“I’ve never done that before, I felt some kind of… instinct to do it.”

Fyx pondered with sudden realization. His eyes darted between each grave as he came to the conclusion, “These graves, they must be of blood dracons…”

“That means, my kind… they must be close by.”

“It’s real… the last remnants of the blood dracons. This is definitive proof, at least of their demise. That means, whoever's making that smoke…” Fyx looked up at said smoke plume.

“We have to find out.” Qyx nodded.

Fyx returned the gesture and they made their way past the dozens of skulls to continue onto the source. Qyx looked at each one, still feeling an urge to gaze into their eyes and harness their essence, but he quickly moved along.

They were really close to the smoke source now; only a hike up this mountain would lead them there. Qyx looked at his hand, pondering it, considering the power he had just taken in. He conjured a red orb with little effort, he barely had to focus. He gazed into the ominous sphere, staring into the crimson void.

After ascending the rocky slope, they heard signs of life. The sounds of conversation, people. Their hearts raced as they drew closer to the source. Qyx clasped his hands together passively, biding each step.

Around the corner, they saw it. Dozens of dracons, their red manes standing out atop their white-scaled bodies. They were living normal lives, living among each other in this isolated village. The main fire in the middle of the hamlet was big, roasting meat on a grill hanging above it. Qyx was speechless, more of his kind. Not just one, but dozens of them.

They were taken by surprise when a blood dracon ambushed them. He grabbed Fyx and threatened him with a stream of red magic. Fyx raised his hands up to surrender while he was grappled by his collar.

“WHO ARE YOU?!” He demanded loudly, bringing the attention of the others.

“Now, now! Let’s calm down here!” Fyx reasoned.

“STOP!” Qyx demanded and grabbed the attacker, “He’s not an enemy!”

“How do you know this, bloodbrother?” The shaggy dracon looked Qyx over, “Wait… I’ve never seen you. Who are you?”

“I’m Qyxidalatos. We’ve come here seeking the last refuge of the blood dracons. It seems we’ve found it.”

“Poxivalatos.” Commanded a strong voice, “Release him.”

Pox did so and knelt down to the direction of the voice. A mighty dracon approached from the village, wearing a striking robe with tribalistic patterns. His red bandana-like neck cloth blew in the wind as he looked over the strangers.

“A blue dracon. A blood dracon. Any other day you’d be dead, blue one, but because you’re here with a fellow bloodbrother, I will withhold our aggression.” The dragon looked closely at Fyx, as if trying to look for something specific. “Hmm, yes.”

Fyx adjusted his coat and dusted off, “Well, I appreciate the consideration.”

The dracon sniffed Qyx, “You are not from here. Where do you come from? Another lost one cast out from a black dracon brood?”

Whether it was due to his large build or his intimidating demeanor, Qyx felt an urge to obey this dracon. “I am Qyxidalatos. I come from a fire brood not far from these deserts. I’ve come here seeking my people.”

He lay a hand on him, “Welcome, young one. I am Nexipaxatos, broodpatron of the Laximaridonatiadios blood dracons. We are the last of our kind.”

“It is an honor to meet you, broodpatron.” Qyx bowed his head. “May I ask, if you are the last of our kind, how was I born?” 

Nex looked at them both and gestured to them to follow, “A millennium ago, our ancestors performed the rituals that fused white energy to black dracons. Our physiology was changed that day, it made us into who we are.” He stopped and gazed at the courtyard. “But it seems to have affected the resonance fields that permeate in this world. On very rare occasions, one of our kind is born into a black dracon brood. Whatever the old ritual did, it permanently affected the dracon gene pool.”

Qyx shook his head in confusion, “But, how was I born then? My mother was a fire dracon.”

“No. In order for one of us to be born, an alignment in all four elements must be present. It is required in order to mutate into the blood dracon affinity.”

“Well, she was unable to bear a child… But where did she get the egg?”

Nex stroked his chin, “That is a question I do not know the answer to. Not unless you seek her out.”

“I see. Thank you, broodpatron.” Qyx bowed his head again.

“You are welcome here among your people, Qyxidalatos, but we will keep a watchful eye on your friend.”

“Oh, Fyx? He means no trouble, I promise.”

“I wasn’t talking about that. We can discuss it later.”

The patron walked off into a longhouse structure and disappeared. Qyx and Fyx were free to explore the town as they pleased, so they did. They walked past dracons bartering their goods, carrying their harvests, or just enjoying their day. The presence of a blue dracon gave them some concern and they looked at this foreigner with intrigue and uncertainty. They whispered amongst each other, debating what could be happening.

They stopped in front of a female, sitting on a rock organizing her books. She quietly sorted literature by name, length, author, genre. The books appeared old or cobbled together, their covers in worn condition. The most interesting thing about the dragoness, however, were the singed parts of her left face. They were pink, clearly damaged in some kind of magical attack.

“Excuse me, ma’am?” Fyx asked.

She turned and jumped, “Woah! I thought, well, nevermind.” She looked at Fyx with an expression of perplexed intrigue. “Uh, what’s a frost dracon doing here?”

“It’s a long story. I was here to accompany Qyx to this place.” He presented his friend. “I’m Fyxitalitas, by the way.”

“I’m Fexodalitas.” The female relaxed, “Not everyone knows about this place. How did you find out about it?”

“Well, we found a book. We theorized the last of the blood dracons could be here.”

Fex paused, “A… book? What  _ book? _ ”

The scholar got the tome out and presented it.  _ ‘The Expurgated Dracon History' _ was spelled clearly on it. Fex gasped lightly and reached to take it, but Fyx prevented her.

“What… You found it? Where?”

“The broodmatron of the Daxmyriax clan had it in her possession. Why do you ask?”

“...” Fex stayed quiet for a long time. “...Myx…”

“Myxalatitas, yes, she’s the leader.”

Fex covered her face and sniffled. She shook her head in disbelief, “Myx… I loved her…”

Qyx spoke up, “Wait, you were Myx’s mate?”

“Yes. I was. Me and her, we truly loved each other.” She looked at her scars, “But one day, I decided it was time she knew what I really was. I couldn’t keep secrets anymore. She hated me for it and called me a deceiver. There was blood.”

“So how did you two even meet?”

Fex sat back and looked around the village, “We are completely isolated from the world; no one knows what goes on out there. So, on occasion, we send out scouts to take a look and make note of the state of the world. That’s what this book is, a finalized version of our accounts of the happenings beyond our lands. I wrote some entries in there, you know.”

"Interesting. Very interesting."

Fyx wrote it all down, but was stopped by her, "Why are you writing this?"

"Ummm… why not?"

Fex sighed, "Fine."

“For the record, when was the last time you sent scouts out?” The scholar inquired.

“Oh, probably around the two-hundred-fortieth cycle. Why?”

“Were you aware of the Great Black Dracon Summoning?”

“No, sorry. What’s that?”

Fyx wanted to tell her, but decided against spooking her, “Oh, nothing.”

“I see. Anyway, I met Myx on my journey. She helped me through that mountain pass, and I grew to like her. She was tough, pragmatic; just the kind of girl I like. When it was time for me to return home, I just didn’t want to, I loved her too much. Sadly, you know what happened after.”

Fyx nodded, “Yes, how unfortunate for you.”

“Was that sarcasm?”

“Uh! No, just, busy writing.” Fyx finished his last scribbles and closed the book.

“You’re not going to be allowed to leave with those notes, you know. Our broodpatron won’t let you.”

Fyx frowned, “Well, I suppose I’ll have to expunge them before I leave. Good day, my friend.”

“Hey, give that book back, please. I can’t let you have that either.” Fex held her hand out.

After some deliberation, Fyx conceded. “Ah, well, alright then. I suppose I don’t need to anymore.”

The female placed the tome in with the others in her collection. “Thank you. I won’t let it go missing again.”

The dracon friends sat down in front of a pillar. Words were carved into the rock, the earliest form of draconspeak, preserved in stone. Sadly, much if it was worn away, so reading it would be a challenge.

“This is a nice place.” Qyx smiled happily, looking around the town.

“A nice place for you, surrounded by your people. Do you think this is where you truly belong?”

Qyx nodded, “Yes. This is my destiny. This is where my life has led up to, where I belong. No one here will question me, or think I’m a hybrid weakling, or fear my true alignment. I think I can finally live a happy life here.”

“So, you plan on staying here?” Fyx asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

Qyx looked at his friend and smiled, “We can live here together, you and me, Fyx. What do you say?”

The dracomage was silent for a moment, his mind thinking. “I-I can’t stay here, it’s much too hostile for me. Even in the hottest deserts, I’ve been able to sustain myself on the light frost energies flowing through. But here? I feel no such thing. It’s as if all the elemental power has been expunged.”

“You… don’t have any power here?”

“In this place, I’d start to lose my magic power, and by extension, my strength and life force. I could already feel my affinity weakening from our journey to get here. In other words, I'm slowly dying.”

“Oh…” Qyx looked down, “Well, if you want to go home, you can. Maybe I’ll come with you, but I still feel at home here. W-we can make visits, yes?”

"I would love to try. Getting to know you this past month or so, I can't just imagine leaving you. I'd want to see you. I really can’t imagine my life without you now."

Qyx nodded and scooted closer, "Me too, my friend."

They were interrupted by Broodpatron Nex stepping in from behind. "I'm afraid that's not an option."

Qyx jumped, "W-what? What do you mean by that?"

"I can't allow an outsider to return. There is too much risk."

"B-broodpatron, please, he  _ can't _ stay here, he'll die!"

"So I've overheard. There is only one conclusion:" Nex gazed solemnly at both of them, “He will have to die here.”


	29. Our Legacy

#  Chapter Twenty Nine - Our Legacy

That statement petrified Qyx, “What, what?!” He breathed rapidly.

Fyx was equally as concerned, “D-die? Perish?!”

Nex palmed his face and looked around, “Here, come to the meeting hall.” He beckoned them to the main building.

They followed him in and saw the large table filled with empty seats. Nex took his seat at the end of the table and the friends took seats next to each other. Nex sighed and prepared himself for this discussion.

Qyx slammed a hand down, “Why?!”

“I’m sorry, Qyxidalatos. I simply cannot risk the outside world of knowing our presence. Not in written, vocal, or memory form.”

“Broodpatron,” Fyx bargained, “If I may speak, if I stay here for an extended period of time, I’ll perish from elemental withdrawal. I  _ need _ to go home. I mean too much to some people, Qyx included.”

“Fyxitalitas, I see your position and I pity you. We, as a people, don’t want to do this, but it’s how we’ve survived. We’ve survived for generations here by preserving our secret, and I’m not about to make an exemption.”

“I, more than anyone, know the value of rules and traditions. I just…” Fyx stopped, knowing he had nothing left to say.

“I don’t make this decision lightly. Just from seeing you two together, I know you mean so much to one another. This is just how it is.”

Qyx nodded, “Yes, I do, broodpatron. He is my best and only friend.”

“I know he is. I just can’t have anyone know about our existence.”

Suddenly, Fyx burst out, “No! I promise I won’t tell a soul! I promise on the sky’s name, no one will ever know! Please! Just let me go home! I may not be young, but I still have a life ahead of me! So many things I’ve never studied! So many places I have yet to see! I beg you!”

Nex closed his eyes in reservation. “Fyx, please, I simply can’t.”

“I will  _ never _ tell another soul! Never!”

“From what I’ve seen so far, you have a tendency to write down things. I saw that book of yours. You’ve written down everything that’s happened since you got here. You clearly can’t be trusted to keep a secret.”

“I made a promise that I would  _ never _ document anything about the blood dracons ever again! Please!” 

“He won’t, broodpatron, he won’t!” Qyx begged, “I promise you, I know him better than anyone else! He did that for me!”

“Qyxidalatos, I’m sorry, but I can’t trust the word of an outsider, even one of my own kind.”

Qyx gripped his head, “There has to be another way. This can’t be how this ends…”

“Our ancestors had to make great sacrifices to get here. I will not have the blood dracon’s last bastion revealed by a runner-mouthed scholar.”

Qyx growled, “Yeah, I’m sure you don’t even care. Don’t you have any friends of your own?”

Nex slammed and clawed the table, “You think this is easy?! You two aren’t the first to find us here, you know. Once they get one good look at us, they make a run for it! You think we’re about to let someone snitch once they get back home? Huh?” 

“I-I…”

The broodpatron retook his seat after standing up in his outburst. “Point is, I’m letting you take an easy way out. I don’t want to do this, none of us do, but I want to let you go out on your own terms. It’s the best I can do for you both.”

“This isn’t right… why does it have to be this way?”

Nex sighed greatly, “Thousands of years ago, our people were forced to flee from the approaching armies of the black dracons. We had to leave so many of our people behind. Our friends, our families, our children. We had to, so our kind could continue.” Nex shifted forward in his seat, “We’ve had to make sacrifices to ensure our legacy lives on. We did then, and we do now. We are a people, but the world isn’t ready to believe that. For that, we have to do what’s necessary to keep our secret.”

Qyx nodded solemnly, “I… I understand, broodpatron.” 

The broodmaster pressed his lips and thought to himself. He looked at the two dracons and pondered. He studied the sobbing blood dracon and observed the crestfallen scholar. With a sigh, he leaned forward to speak.

“Look, I’m going to let you in on a deal. Your friend will be allowed to stay in our town for as long as he’s got left. I can see his scales are paling, so I imagine he’s already getting some deficiencies. He’ll live with you, but me and my brood will keep a close eye on him. If you attempt to escape, we will not hesitate to stop you.”

“Yes, you’re correct.” Fyx certified.

“Fyx…” Qyx whispered, taken aback.

“I thank you for this opportunity, broodpatron. I will not squander it.” He looked the white-scaled leader in the eyes.

Nex nodded, “I thank you for understanding. Please, make yourselves at home in Laximaridonatiadios. Just don’t try to leave. We will be watching.”

“Thank you, broodpatron.” Both dracons said.

The dragon leader got up and made his way out. He stopped and looked over his shoulder, “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry, Qyxidalatos.” He left the building.

They sat in silence for a long time. Qyx couldn’t bear to even look at his friend, knowing that he’d die. Slowly, he’d have to watch him slowly fade away in this harsh environment. His heart couldn’t take it, he broke down and cried.

“Qyx, here, come here.” Fyx scooched next to him and hugged him. “It’ll be okay.”

“No, it’ll never be okay.” He shot a look at Fyx, “Just… WHY?!”

“Qyx, here, look at me.” He stroked his tear-soaked face, “You need to be strong for me. If your happiness costs me my life, I will gladly give it. All I want is for you to live a peaceful life, free from judgement or prejudice. This place, this is it. This is where you can live the life you never had. A normal life.”

“But, what if we hatch a plan to escape? Just teleport out in the middle of the night? They’ll never know.”

Fyx rolled his sleeves up, revealing his already fading scales. They were still close to the same rich blue, but they were just off.

“Qyx, I’m sorry. I just don’t have the power to do that. I can barely cast a gust of ice, how can you expect me to teleport a distance that big? There must be at least a hundred blood dracons here, plus they are no doubt going to be on alert knowing there’s a stranger in their home.”

The white dragon didn’t say anything, opting to let his crying eyes speak for him. His hands covered his face, his claws dug into his scales. His beard became soaked in tears as they dribbled out and onto his travel gear.

“How can I hope to live if I don’t have you?”

Fyx comforted him, “It’s okay, Qyxie. We still have some time to be together. I’ll be with you every step of the way.” He nuzzled him closely. “We’ll make this count.”

“There’s got to be another way…”


	30. Where Loyalties Lie

#  Chapter Thirty - Where Loyalties Lie

The day had come. The day Qyx had been dreading. The day Fyx was slated to perish. He could hardly bring himself out of bed, could hardly stand to even look up from the ground he walked. These past weeks had been a serious toll on his mental health, knowing what awaited him at the end. Although he spent those days with Fyx, he still was wracked with anxiety about the future. Fyx’s health state was deteriorating day-by-day. They attempted to ration the blue gems, but they were gone within a week. Fyx was weakening from the frost withdrawal and hot environment; he could hardly cast his magic and his natural colors paled. The scholar’s scales used to be a rich blue, but they were now more of a tinted grey. It pained Qyx to see him in this state.

The broodpatron arrived, looked at him with a solemn expression and nodded. Nex took him by the hand and led him to the spot, an isolated cliffside vista overlooking the Plains of Extinction. It was quiet here, only the sounds of plants swaying in the gentle breeze as sand blew across the ground. Fyx was already there, sitting on the edge, writing the last entries in his iconic journal. He wrote slowly, knowing this would be his last legacy, so he made this count.

Fyx heard the two blood dracons approaching and turned to look at them. He flashed a compassionate smile for his best friend, as if to assure him everything would be okay. This only served to bring Qyx closer to the edge of completely breaking down right then and there.

Nex sighed, “So, today is the day?”

Fyx closed his journal, “I can’t make an accurate prediction, but I believe this is likely to be the day. I may die now, or in the coming days. It’s a slow process.”

The broodpatron looked between the two, “Me and my brood have kept track of you ever since you got here, but out of respect, I’ve instructed them to stay away from here. There will be no one except us.” He pointed to the top of a nearby cliff above, “I will be up there, to allow you two to have your final moments alone. Bear in mind I will still be watching to make sure you don’t escape.”

Qyx just nodded. In that moment, the broodmaster teleported away up to his spot. He grabbed his blue partner’s hands lightly and finally looked up at his fuschia eyes. The dragons locked eyes, staring deeply into each other’s souls. Qyx’s broken state prevented him from smiling. Fyx ran a hand on along his white scales and embraced his form.

Without warning, Qyx brought them into a hug, the tightest one he’d ever given in his life. One last final gift to the one who changed everything for him. Already, his eyes glistened with tears of sadness. They dribbled down and soaked his face, wetting both their shoulders. This caused even the optimistic Fyx to shed some tears in turn; he could no longer resist and got pushed over the edge.

They both toppled over into the dirt, crying all the way. There were no words to say; they both knew what the other was thinking. Qyx’s claws dug deep into Fyx’s back, causing him some pain, but at this moment, he didn’t care. He didn’t care about the dirt getting on them nor about the tears staining his outfit. 

Fyx pressed something solid into Qyx’s chest. He looked down to see it was Fyx’s journal, the very same book he rewrote his entries in after that night. The worn leather cover emblazoned with the current year, the red ribbon bookmark that kept his place. The pale blue dragon nodded and let him take his life’s work. Qyx opened it up and saw the familiar drawings and notes inside. He turned pages, skimming over topics of elements, dracons, nature, magic, and his adventures these past several days. Qyx felt some regret telling Fyx he couldn’t do this anymore. At the end, however, was not any scientific observation or an entry on the natural world, but a letter addressed to him.

_ Qyxidalatos, _

_ I’m spending my last moments writing you this letter so that you may keep it with you in your new life. We’ve been through so much together these past few days. We’ve learned much about each other, and we learned much about ourselves. In all my travels through all of the world, I’ve never had more fun than the time I’ve had with you. Now, it seems that’s coming to an end.  _

_ Don’t be sad to see my passing, Qyxie, be happy you were able to spend as much as you did with me, together. Don’t think of this as the end, think of it as a new beginning. Now, you’re going on to live a new life; a new chapter in your saga, one free of judgement, discrimination, or fear. A life with your own kind, your people, ones just like you. You’ve wondered all your life ‘Where do I belong in this world?’ Well, this is it; we found it, together. I want you to be happy, to live freely. If I have to give my life to make you happy, Qyxidalatos, I will. I’ve said it time and time before, and I truly meant it. _

_ With that, it’s time for me to go, my friend. Be strong for me, be joyful. Wear a smile on your face, just as I did in life. I may not live on this mortal coil anymore, but my soul, that special relationship we had, will  _ _ never _ _ leave you. They say a dracon’s spirit never really leaves this life; it stays and continues living among the magical energies in this world. For you, that means I’ll always be there, by your side, forever.  _

_ Goodbye, my travel partner, my love, my best friend. _

_ Yours forever,  _

_ -Fyxitalitas _

Qyxidalatos collapsed to the ground as he finished reading the letter. He crumpled into a mess of tears and sobbing, unable to move. Fyx lay a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. He helped him back to his feet and gave him a hug. They made sure to make this count, knowing this would be the last one they’d ever have.

After a very long time of nothing but embracing, they released. Fyx nodded his head and nuzzled him gently. He sat down into the dirt and closed his eyes, still keeping that same genuine smile he’s always had in life. Qyx pocketed the book and looked at his friend, really taking in his form for the first time. 

Qyx closed his eyes. He reopened them and looked to the broodpatron watching from atop the cliff. He thought about it, but knew he couldn’t, not with the state he’s in. He shook his head, thinking against it. Just then, he noticed a dracon totem sitting nearby. Its hollow skull eyes stared back at him, calling him over. A red piece of fabric blew in the breeze, making for an eye-catching windsock. Qyx took another glance at the broodmaster and looked back at the totem.

The sobbing dragon walked over and stared into the empty eyes of the skull carving. He moved his hand around the cranium, feeling the ambient energy emanate around it. Then, he managed to catch the stream of power, the flow of white energy still within. He closed his fist and channeled the magic into him, feeling the power enter his veins. 

He looked at his hands and felt the tingling sensation running through him. He walked back to his friend watching him take in this power. Fyx grew perplexed at his empowered friend, questioning his motives. Qyx wielded two streams of red energy in his hands, a trail of crimson following their every movement; his hands jittered and twitched at this confluence of unforeseen power. Qyx looked at his friend with a look of uncertainty and indetermination. Wordlessly, Fyx understood and lowered his head, waiting to be euthanized.

But it didn’t come.

All he heard was the sound of cracking of air in front of him. Fyx opened his eyes and saw a cloud of red smoke floating in front of him. He looked around to see where his friend had teleported to. He gazed up and saw him on the top of the cliff where Nex stood. At first, he thought he’d gone up there to beg for his life, to barter for another chance. But to Fyx’s shock and horror, Qyx hadn’t gone up to talk to him. 

He’d gone up to kill him.

Qyx’s sword drove through Nex’s back cleanly, piercing him from the lower body. Red magic enveloped his body, preventing him from fighting back. Nex didn’t scream or yell, he merely choked on his own fluids and stared blankly ahead. He gripped the sharp sword tip, but his grasp was becoming weaker. Nex coughed and fell on his knees, struggling to stay alive. Qyx thrusted the sword out and watched the broodmaster die, a look of uncertainty in his eyes. With his final breath, he turned to look at Qyx with a face of mixed emotions, before keeling over and bleeding out. He stared at the corpse for a minute before regaining his senses and teleporting down to his pale blue dragon friend.

“Qyx… What have you done?”

“I… It was the only way. I just… I can’t. Not after all we’ve been through. I love you too much.” Qyx ran and hugged him tightly.

“You… you can’t go back now, you can’t stay with your people anymore. Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“YOU THINK I GIVE A KOBOLD’S LEFT BOLLOCK ABOUT ‘MY PEOPLE’?! I care for you so much more than a clan of dracon with the same curse as me! The fact that you saw through my affinity and knew me for who I truly was speaks volumes higher than they could ever hope to attain.” He released his hug and pointed to the desert, “We’re leaving. We’re leaving and we’re never coming back. We will never talk about what happened here to anyone. We’re going to go and live our lives together, wherever the wind takes us. Okay?”

Fyx shook his head, “Qyx, this is insane. We can’t! Do you see the state I’m in? I’d never make it.”

The blood dracon shook his head in turn, “No, no, remember? The breadcrumbs. We left a trail of blue gems all the way back to the Sky’s End. It should be enough to sustain you, right? M-maybe my healing magic can help too?”

“It’s… possible… but the chances of making it are extremely slim. I told you before those gems would better serve as a snack, rather than any proper sustenance. I told you we’d never make–”

“IT’S THE RISK I’M WILLING TO TAKE. We have to try. Please! For me.”

“I…” Fyx uttered, “Okay. Okay, Qyx, alright. Let’s go.” He nodded, uncertainty in his voice and doubt in his soul. 

With hands clasped together, they ran out and into the desert wastes. The only evidence of them being here was the fresh corpse of broodpatron Nex laying in the sun and the faint remnants of frost and blood energy hanging in the air. They traveled together, back where they came, never to be seen in this place again.

  
  
  
  
  


#  The End

  
  
  
  


Written by:  **DreAmCatcher**

Special Thanks to:

**Space Lizard** for creating  _ The Tenth Line _

**Eltan Darkfeather** for early proofreading

**FenTheOtter** for all the support and help

**You** for reading my first writing and fanfiction

Thanks for reading


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